PESHAWAR: Amid reservations of the private schools, the elementary and secondary education department on Tuesday once again extended the winter vacation till Jan 12 due to harsh cold weather in the summer zone.

The winter vacation had started on Dec 22 and was to end on Dec 31, but it was extended twice as result of harsh weather. Previously, the vacation was extended till Jan 7.

After the notification of the education department, the private schools regulatory authority also issued a notification, saying that all private schools in the summer zone would remain closed till Jan 12.

A notification issued by the ES&ED said that in continuation of an earlier notification dated Dec 30, 2019, the competent authority has extended the winter vacation in summer zone up to Jan 12 due to harsh cold weather in the province. “The schools will reopen on Monday (Jan 13),” it said.

Meanwhile, Private Educational Institutions Management Association president Khawaja Yawar Naseer told Dawn that there were thousands of private schools, many of which being the main stakeholders in the educational sector, which were not taken into confidence before making the decision to extend winter vacation.

He said that the education department was wasting students’ precious time and it would be next to impossible for them to complete the courses on time before the examinations, likely to take place in March.

He recalled that the summer vacation had also been extended by nine days.

“There is neither fog nor any extreme cold weather in Peshawar,” he said, adding the private schools were mulling to approach court to ensure that 248 working days of the academic year were upheld to save time of the students.

Mr Naseer said they had met with the secretary E&SED, who had informed them that the vacation had been extended on the orders of the chief minister.

Meanwhile, an official of Met department told Dawn that minimum temperature in the provincial capital was recorded at 6 degree Celsius and maximum at 14. Dera Ismail Khan recorded 5 degree Celsius minimum temperature and Bannu 1 degree Celsius.

On the other hand, a parent told Dawn that temperature in Peshawar did not drop too much to necessitate extension in winter vacation. He said if the army public schools and federal government schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained opened then why the summer vacation of the private and government schools were extended time and again.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2020