Claim: A notification by the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, directs all public and private institutions to remain closed till 15 April 2026.
Fact: The notification is fake and has been falsely attributed to the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh.
On 27 March 2025, a Facebook page named ‘Karachi Ki Baat’ shared a notification by the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, with the following caption in Urdu:
حکومتِ سندھ”
محکمہ اسکول ایجوکیشن اینڈ لٹریسی
کراچی، مؤرخہ 26 مارچ 2026
اعلان نوٹیفکیشن
نمبر: SO (A&T-I)/SE&LD/SCM/9(3)/2023:
سابقہ نوٹیفکیشن کے تسلسل میں، یہ مطلع کیا جاتا ہے کہ محکمہ اسکول ایجوکیشن اینڈ لٹریسی، حکومتِ سندھ کے تحت تمام سرکاری و نجی تعلیمی ادارے 15 اپریل 2026 تک بند رہیں گے۔یہ توسیع موجودہ اسمارٹ لاک ڈاؤن اور ایندھن کی قلت کی وجہ سے کی گئی ہے، جس سے ٹرانسپورٹ متاثر ہو رہی ہے۔تاہم، طے شدہ امتحانات/ماک امتحانات اپنے شیڈول کے مطابق جاری رہیں گے اور اس بندش سے مستثنیٰ ہوں گے۔
تمام متعلقہ حکام کو ہدایت کی جاتی ہے کہ اس پر عملدرآمد یقینی بنائیں۔
“سیکرٹری، حکومتِ سندھ
[Translation: Government of Sindh,
School Education and Literacy Department,
Karachi, dated 26th March 2026,
Announcement Notification
No.: SO (A&T-I)/SE&LD/SCM/9(3)/2023:
In continuation of the previous notification, it has been informed that all government and private educational institutions under the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, will remain closed till 15th April 2026. This extension has been made due to the current smart lockdown and fuel shortage, which is affecting transport. However, scheduled examinations/mock examinations will continue as per schedule and will be exempted from this closure. All concerned authorities are directed to ensure its implementation.
Secretary, Government of Sindh.]
The document, dated 26 March 2026, also circulated as a forwarded message on WhatsApp.
Smart lockdown
On 10 March 2026, the Sindh government introduced a set of austerity measures due to the ongoing fuel crisis, resulting from the US-Israel war on Iran. Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon addressed a press conference where he announced a “spring vacation” for schools, from March 16 to 31, and directed colleges and universities to switch to online classes.
During this period, the federal government had been considering implementing a smart lockdown in the country, until the fuel crisis gets better. On 30 March 2026, a source told Dawn that President Asif Ali Zardari has scheduled a meeting where a proposal detailing the idea of a smart lockdown will be presented to the provincial governments.
However, later on the same day, the government announced that they will not impose a smart lockdown because the provincial authorities are not in favor of the idea. We fact-checked claims related to this proposed lockdown here.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check looked through the official website of Sindh Government’s School Education and Literacy Department but could not find the document in their general notifications tab. The Provincial Minister of Sindh for Education and Literacy Syed Sardar Ali Shah has not announced or shared any official notification of this nature on his official Facebook or X account.
However, the provincial minister did share a picture of the notification in question on his official Facebook account with the word “fake” written over it. He wrote in the caption:
“یہ گمراھ کن معلومات پر مشتمل ڈاکومینٹ ہے، جسے سوشل میڈیا پر شیئر کرنے سے گریز کیا جائے۔”
Translation: [This document is based on misleading information that should not be shared on social media.]
Screenshot of Shah’s Facebook post shared on 27 March 2026
Virality
The post was shared on Facebook here, here, and here.
Conclusion: A notification by the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, announcing the closure of all public and private schools till 15 April 2026 is fake. The department did not issue any circular of this nature.