LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced that summer vacation for all public and private schools in the province will commence from May 17, likely to be the first day of Ramazan.

At a press conference at the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board office on Thursday, School Education Department (SED), Minister Rana Mashhood said earlier schools used to be closed from June 1 and it was planned that the summer vacation would start as per the previous schedule.

However, he said, they were starting the vacation keeping in view the fasting month. The vacation will end on Aug 10.

The minister said the decision was taken in a meeting and a notification to the effect would be issued soon. He said all public and private schools in the province were bound to follow the schedule.

“The schools that are taking examinations will be asked to conclude them soon otherwise no exemption will be given,” he said.

Rana Mashhood said the parent action committee had contacted them over fee increase issue in private schools and referred to a Sindh High Court judgment barring schools from increasing fee. “We have checked [it] and found that no such judgment was passed.”

He said the government was taking measures to stop school from collecting fee in advance during summer vacation. “The government will not allow schools to overburden parents and they can collect fee for the ongoing month under the law,” he said.

The minister said the department would take action against the schools involved in violating government’s directions.

He said the schools were allowed to hold summer camps for students but they could not charge fee [for such activity].

Meanwhile, All Pakistan Private Schools Federation President Kashif Mirza said schools would remain closed from June 10 to Aug 10 for summer vacation. He said the federation had conducted a meeting with SED Secretary Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, who agreed to their schedule.

“We have arranged examinations after the agreement and now the government has announced new schedule for the vacation,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018