Punjab education minister’s wife has a problem with smog school timings, and we agree

As new school timings amid smog add to the already heavy traffic load on the roads of Lahore, the wife of Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, like all of us, also has an issue.

All public and private sector schools in the provincial capital have been told to push their opening time to 8:45 am or later in view of the hazardous air quality in major parts of the city. The instructions from the government were issued on a health advisory by the environment department in view of smog engulfing major parts of the city, especially during the wee hours. This, however, has led to a further load on the city’s roads due to a clash between school and office timings.

“Every year, smog cum fog is more intense earlier in the day. So, to beat that, we thought of opening schools one hour later,” Hayat said during an exclusive interview with The Current.

When asked about the traffic situation the new arrangement has led to, the minister said, “That’s what my wife was saying this morning.”

“The thing is that last week so many children in schools were getting sick [because of smog] with flu, early morning, so the environment department and the weather department consider [consulted] and decided to extend the school timings by an hour,” the minister reasoned, adding he agreed that office timings should also be altered to avoid all the rush and trouble.

To a question about the relation between flu and changed timings, the minister said, “Yes, the reason behind this has been conveyed to us […] early in the morning, smog situation is worse, and as the sun comes out, it gets better.”

The exclusive interview with the provincial education minister is set to be released on The Current’s YouTube channel this Sunday, November 3.

On Tuesday, a private media outlet has also quoted Hayat as indicating that schools might be shut down altogether if the smog situation worsens any further.

“The situation of pollution is getting worse, and for the elimination of smog, the government as well as the people will have to play their role,” the minister reportedly said as the provincial capital yet again becomes the most polluted city in the world.

Meanwhile, authorities have implemented several measures aimed at combating the situation. Prominent steps include making it mandatory for citizens to wear masks. While around 2,500 vehicles with faulty engines or excessive emissions have been grounded, the government has also sealed 469 factories and demolished a number of brick kilns.

According to reports, 318 FIRs have also been registered against those burning crop residues.

Read more: Maryam Nawaz hints at starting smog diplomacy with India