KARACHI, July 26: All Private Schools Management Association (APSMA), Sindh urged Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro to allow reopening of all the government and private schools from August 1 instead of August 16.However, it warned of defying the education department notification regarding reopening of schools from August 16 by private schools if she did not give permission.

In a statement on Wednesday, APSMA chairman Syed Khalid Shah said summer vacations of full three months, from May 15 to August 16, was a great loss to education.

He said that schools prepared different programmes in connection with Independence Day to promote patriotism among children, but if schools were reopened on August 16 the nation's futures would ''spend the Independence Day sleeping at their homes''.

Referring to Dr Khuhro's speech on August 14 last at a National Education Council of Pakistan ceremony in which she said she would not object if schools reopen from August 1 for Independence Day celebrations, Shah asked her to allow schools reopen from August 1 instead of August 16.

He said the association had decided to reopen schools from August 1 fulfilling their national obligation.-—PPI