Lahore schools make masks mandatory for students amid smog
Schools were told to enforce mask use and smog SOPs, while the Punjab education minister denied reports of closures.
The District Education Authority ordered masks to be mandatory for students at government and private schools in Lahore on Saturday.
The order follows worsening smog in the city, where the Punjab Environment Protection Agency's dashboard recorded an air quality index of 478 on Multan Road at 5 p.m. on Thursday, a hazardous level.
Other readings on the same dashboard included 420 on Egerton Road, 407 in DHA Phase 6, 374 in Kahna Nau and 370 in Shahdara, which the source described as very unhealthy.
The authority has directed school administrations to ensure students wear masks and to enforce the standard operating procedures issued to protect against smog.
Its chief executive officer also asked schools to encourage students to drink more water and to hold awareness seminars on smog and the harmful effects of air pollution.
Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat denied reports that schools would close because of smog, saying no proposal for holidays was under consideration, and no decision to shut institutions had been taken.
He urged parents not to let their children's education be disrupted, and asked students to look after their health, follow government instructions during outdoor activities and wear masks when they leave home.
Smog has been a recurring concern in Lahore during the winter months, when pollution levels often rise sharply in the city.
