The government’s decision to implement a two-day weekend has raised concerns among educators and parents, who warn that fewer teaching days could hinder timely course completion and disrupt the academic calendar.

The Balendra Shah administration on April 4 decided to close government offices and educational institutions on Sundays as well, in a bid to reduce fuel consumption amid disruptions in the supply of petroleum products. While the government has stated that public offices will operate from 9 am to 5 pm, it has not specified any additional operating hours for educational institutions.

Along with imposing a two-day weekend, the Ministry of Education has also pushed back school admissions by two weeks, from mid-April to the end of April, and the commencement of teaching-learning by a week, further putting pressure on the timely completion of courses as prescribed in the curriculum.

Following the decision, the Centre for Education and Human Resource Development has directed local governments and schools to revise and implement their academic schedules.

However, teachers warn that completing the prescribed curriculum with only five teaching days a week will be difficult, raising the risk of unfinished courses.

They suggest either reducing the course load or extending teaching hours to make up for lost time.

Sudam Gautam, president of the Headteachers’ Association, said completing courses under the new schedule would be challenging, noting that there are no clear alternatives in place.

“Headteachers across the country have expressed concerns that it is not feasible to complete the course with only five teaching days a week,” Gautam said. “We are in discussions with the ministry and the Curriculum Development Centre.”

He also warned that students’ learning time would shrink due to additional holidays. “Completing the course within limited teaching hours is risky. Options like full-day classes on Fridays or extending daily teaching hours should be explored,” he added.

Gautam said there is also confusion over internal assessments, coordination with local governments, and overall school management. “Without clear policies, this could create more problems,” he said. The university teachers have similar concerns.

Abatar Subedi, assistant dean at Tribhuvan University’s Faculty of Education, echoed the concern, saying current curricula are designed for six teaching days a week.

“It is not feasible to complete them in five days,” Subedi said, suggesting that course content be reduced if the two-day weekend system continues.

The Curriculum Development Centre acknowledges the challenge and says it is exploring alternatives.

“Even under the current system, completing courses is challenging. We are working on possible options and will reach a decision soon,” said Purushottam Ghimire, director at the centre.

He noted that reducing course content may not be straightforward, as teaching hours for each subject are already specified. “We are discussing whether to extend teaching hours or adjust the curriculum,” he said.

The centre has instructed local governments and schools to prepare academic calendars for the academic year 2026 accordingly. Schools are also required to develop annual work plans, educational strategies, school improvement plans, and programmes to enhance student learning and teachers’ professional development.

There are 35,447 schools across the country, of which 77 percent are community schools and 23 percent private, with a small number of religious or traditional institutions. At the school level (Grades 1–12), there are over 7.14 million students—66 percent in community schools and 34 percent in private institutions.

Enrolment in private schools has been rising in recent years, while community schools have seen a decline following government-led mergers.

Kosh Bahadur GC, the central chair of the Nepal National Guardians’ Association, said the government’s decision has left students, parents, and schools confused.

“There should not be a bigger problem if the decision to close educational institutions on Sundays is only temporary due to the short-term disruption in fuel supply. If the government plans to enforce Sunday holidays permanently, it is objectionable,” he said. “Closing schools two days a week means total teaching-learning will be limited to less than 100 days. This decision is not in the interest of students or parents. Once the fuel supply eases, all schools must resume on Sundays.”