APPSF demands new academic calendar, 240 teaching days

Islamabad – The All Pakistan Private Schools Federation (APPSF) has called for the immediate issuance of a formal academic calendar for the new school year and the implementation of at least 200 to 240 instructional days across the country.

In a statement, APPSF Central President Kashif Mirza said that the academic year in Pakistan has effectively been reduced to between 90 and 120 days which is far below international educational standards. He noted that in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and other developed nations, the academic year generally consists of around 230 instructional days.

In contrast, frequent holidays and unexpected disruptions in Pakistan continue to adversely affect the teaching and learning process. Expressing concern over the failure of provincial governments to issue official academic calendars despite the commencement of the new academic year, Mirza said that, in light of global warming and changing weather patterns, a clear schedule for vacations, examinations and other educational activities has become essential to ensure the smooth completion of the academic year.

He urged federal and provincial governments to adopt and enforce an academic calendar containing at least 200 to 240 instructional days in line with international standards. According to him, the current system does not meet global benchmarks and is negatively impacting students academic performance.

Kashif Mirza further stated that nearly 33 percent of children in Pakistan remain out of school while millions are forced into child labour instead of receiving an education. According to the latest Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2024–25, approximately 28 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 are still out of school.

He added that in Punjab alone, the out-of-school children rate has reached 51 percent. The literacy rate in the province stands at 68 percent for males and 52.8 percent for females. Pakistan’s overall literacy rate is 63 percent and the country ranks 156th out of 193 countries in global education rankings.

The APPSF president stressed that the government must ensure free and compulsory education for every child, take effective measures to eliminate child labour and adopt comprehensive policies to reduce poverty so that no child is forced to abandon education due to financial hardship.

He emphasized that both federal and provincial governments should fulfill their commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) and Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan by taking concrete steps to strengthen the country’s education system