The Punjab government has ordered the closure of all public and private schools and colleges from primary through higher secondary levels until November 17th. The decision, aimed at safeguarding the health of students and staff, comes after air quality in several key cities reached hazardous levels, with Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 1,000 in recent readings.
The Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notification that stated, “All educational institutions, including private tuition centers (public/private) up to Higher Secondary Level (12th Grade/A-level), will remain closed and transition to an online format.”
Maryam Aurangzeb, the senior minister of Punjab, has verified that educational institutions in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan divisions will be closed from Thursday, November 7th, 2024, until Sunday, November 17th, 2024, as per the official notification.
Classes will be moved online to the following territories: Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahudin, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Chiniot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Multan, Lodhran, Vehari, and Khanewal.
To further reduce the risks associated with pollution, government and private offices will mandate that 50% of their employees work from home, and all government meetings will be conducted online via Zoom. The measures are intended to minimize people’s contact with smog since the AQI has reached very high levels in Lahore and elsewhere.
Addressing the ongoing crisis, Aurangzeb emphasized that the safety of people especially children is still the major concern of the government. The transition to online education is seen as a temporary yet essential response to protect students from the impacts of pollution.
Besides, Aurangzeb said that while schools are shut down for primary-level students, many parents continue to take their children to shopping malls and entertainment areas, potentially increasing their exposure to harmful air.
In addition to the school closures, masks will now be mandatory in affected cities. Presently, there is a Smog War Room at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzing the constant air pollution and goals have been set for different departments.
Lahore, already suffering from the intense smog, reached a new low in air quality on Saturday when the concentration of deadly PM2.5 particles soared to 610—nearly 40 times above the WHO’s acceptable limit. The concentration of pollutants in the city reached its highest level when the AQI touched an alarming 1,067 and well over 300, which is a dangerous level according to health concerns. Authorities expect the situation to persist for at least another 10 days, with air quality continuing to deteriorate.
