PESHAWAR, June 2: Teachers at government-run schools perform duties only for 120 days out of the total 365 days in a year, officials at the education department said. The public school teachers enjoy 245 holidays per year. The situation in private schools is relatively better since teachers there work 285 days per year, they said, citing a survey conducted by the department.

Officials said that government-owned schools remain closed for 90 days on account of summer vacations and another 15 days for winter vacations. Likewise, teachers at government schools enjoy 10 days of holidays on arrival of the autumn, which is followed by one month holidays soon after examinations are over, they said.

Government school teachers also avail a weekly off day that totals to 40 days per year, officials said. They can also take off days from schools when asked to participate in protest demonstrations, urgent leaves, workshops and seminars etc. for 30 days.

Meanwhile, the management of private schools allow their teaching staff to avail only 30 days vacation in summer and five days each for winter and autumn, they said.

They too avail 40 days on account of their weekly off, but they only get a day or two off at the end of the school examinations, officials added. Also, private school teachers are entitled to avail only 80 days of leave per year.

The officials claimed that this was the main reason why parents were losing confidence in government-owned schools and were opting for private schools instead.

As per rules, teachers of state-run schools are required to remain on duty during vacations but most teachers prefer to remain away, they said, adding that this has been a tradition and nobody at the top level is bothered to correct the situation.