Schools Closed in Punjab Major Cities Due to Flood Situation

The Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot, Saba Asghar Ali, has announced the closure of 26 government schools across the district for two days, September 11 and 12, following heavy rains and severe flooding that have impacted large parts of Punjab. The move aims to safeguard students from potential risks caused by floodwaters and structural damages to school facilities.

According to the official order, the temporary closure applies exclusively to students. Teachers and school staff, however, have been instructed to continue attending their duties. This approach ensures that administrative and academic operations, including assessments of damage, continue during the closure period.

Breakdown of Affected Schools

The Deputy Commissioner’s notification outlined the distribution of schools shut down across different tehsils of Sialkot district:

Daska: 4 schools

Sialkot city: 6 schools

Pasrur: 6 schools

Sambrial: 8 schools

These areas have been among the hardest hit by recent monsoon rains, with waterlogging and flooding disrupting normal routines and making access to educational institutions unsafe for children.

Safety Concerns Prompt Decision

DC Saba Asghar Ali emphasized that the decision was not taken lightly but was necessary to prioritize the well-being of students. Floodwaters have seeped into school buildings in several locations, damaging classrooms, boundary walls, and sanitation facilities. Access routes to many schools have also been submerged, creating travel hazards for students.

“The safety of our children is our top priority,” the Deputy Commissioner stated. “While our teams work to restore affected areas and make schools safe again, it is important to keep students away from these risks.”

Authorities have deployed emergency teams to carry out inspections and repair work during the closure period. Efforts are also underway to pump out standing water and restore road access to affected neighborhoods.

Broader Impact of Flooding in Punjab

The closure of schools in Sialkot highlights the wider crisis caused by relentless monsoon rains across Punjab and other provinces. Torrential downpours have inundated roads, damaged crops, and disrupted daily life for thousands of families. Low-lying areas of Sialkot remain particularly vulnerable due to overflowing drains and rivers that have worsened the situation.

Parents in flood-hit areas have expressed relief at the government’s decision, noting that it spares their children the dangers of traveling through waterlogged streets. “It is a wise step,” said Muhammad Aslam, a resident of Daska. “Our children’s safety must come first. The government should also ensure speedy restoration so schools can reopen quickly.”

Teaching Staff to Remain Active

While students have been granted a temporary break, teachers and school employees are expected to remain on duty. Officials explained that staff presence is essential for assessing damage, maintaining administrative work, and assisting local authorities in monitoring the situation.

Education Department officials added that teachers will also help coordinate with relief workers to ensure that damaged infrastructure is identified and reported promptly. This proactive involvement is intended to minimize delays in resuming normal classes.

National Climate and Agricultural Emergency

The school closures in Sialkot coincide with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent declaration of a national climate and agricultural emergency. The Prime Minister highlighted the severe toll that changing weather patterns and extreme rainfall events are taking on communities, infrastructure, and farmlands across Pakistan.

He urged all provincial and district administrations to remain vigilant and implement swift measures to safeguard citizens. “The challenges posed by climate change require urgent and coordinated responses,” the Prime Minister said earlier this week. “We cannot allow our future generations to suffer from the negligence of today.”

The emergency declaration underscores how local crises, such as school closures in Sialkot, are part of a much broader struggle against the devastating effects of climate change in Pakistan.

Restoration and Relief Efforts Underway

In Sialkot, local administration teams, with support from provincial authorities, are working around the clock to restore normalcy. Water is being drained from affected areas, and engineers are inspecting the structural integrity of school buildings. Relief packages for flood-hit families are also being distributed in several neighborhoods.

The Deputy Commissioner reassured parents that the two-day closure is a temporary measure and that students will be able to resume their studies as soon as conditions allow. “We are confident that restoration work will progress swiftly, and children will be back in classrooms soon,” she said.

Rising Challenges for Education

This is not the first time schools in Pakistan have faced closures due to natural disasters. In recent years, floods, heatwaves, and smog have repeatedly disrupted academic calendars, raising concerns about the growing vulnerability of the education sector to climate-related emergencies. Experts argue that better infrastructure, improved drainage systems, and climate-resilient school buildings are urgently needed to minimize disruption in the future.

Educationists have also stressed the importance of preparing contingency plans, such as online classes or catch-up programs, to ensure students do not lose valuable study time during such closures.