– School Closures: Due to high temperatures, summer holidays for schools in Sindh have been extended by two weeks, impacting over 100,000 schools . This decision was made to ensure the well-being of children .
– Extreme Weather Conditions: Pakistan is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change, including heatwaves that are hotter and more frequent and monsoons that are heavier and longer .
– Power Cuts: Planned power cuts, also known as load-shedding, happen frequently in the country because of an ongoing power supply crisis . The load-shedding varies from city to city, but in rural areas of Sindh, they can last for more than 12 hours a day, leaving schools without fans .
– Impact on Education: A public school teacher expressed concern about completing the curriculum and the impact of heat on children, stating, “It is the load-shedding we are worried about, not just the heat” .
– Poverty and Education: The government has said more than 26 million children are out of school due to poverty .
– Heatwaves in Pakistan: Pakistan struggled through a series of heatwaves in May and June, with temperatures peaking at more than 50°C (122°F) in parts of rural Sindh .
– Protective Measures: Authorities in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, started summer vacations in May one week early to protect children from the searing heat .
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