ISLAMABAD: The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority on Thursday announced that all private schools in the federal capital will observe a four-day workweek as part of austerity and fuel conservation measures.

According to a notification issued by the authority, which operates under the Ministry of Federal Education, all Private Educational Institutions (PEIs) in the Islamabad Capital Territory will conduct on-campus academic activities from Monday to Thursday with immediate effect until further orders.

Meanwhile, in Punjab, educational institutions will remain closed on Fridays, with both public and private schools operating from Monday to Thursday. The revised schedule follows the reopening of schools across the province on April 1 after a 22-day closure from March 10 to March 31, implemented in line with federal measures to conserve fuel amid rising global oil prices linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

During the closure period, institutions continued academic activities through online classes, while examinations were conducted as scheduled.

Under the new timetable issued by the Punjab Education Department, school hours from Monday to Thursday will be observed from 8am to 1:30pm. In double-shift schools, the first shift will run from 8am to 12:30pm, while the second shift will operate from 1:00pm to 5:30pm.

In Sindh, the provincial government also resumed academic activities earlier this week. Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced that physical classes at all schools, colleges, and universities across the province restarted from April 1, replacing online learning.

He added that educational institutions in Sindh will observe a weekly holiday on Saturdays. Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah confirmed that the new academic year has begun from April 1, with a two-day weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

The changes in academic schedules across provinces reflect coordinated efforts to manage energy consumption while ensuring continuity in education.