KARACHI, May 24: The steering committee of the Sindh education department announced on Friday that summer vacation in schools and colleges of the province would be observed from June 1 to July 31.

The decision would also apply to private schools and colleges.

The committee revoked its earlier decision about summer vacation in schools and colleges from June 15.

Sources in the education department said now, like previous years, educational institutions in the province would remain closed from June 1 to July 31 for summer vacation. The committee decided to continue with the previous system of vacations at least for this year, and it was likely that from next year summer vacation would be advanced.

It was learnt that in view of representations from different organizations and requests from parents, the committee, which met with the Sindh Secretary Education, Nazar Husain Mehar in the chair, discussed the possibilities of advancing the two-month-long summer vacation from June to May. However, no final decision was reached, an official, who attended the meeting, said, adding comments had been sought from educational institutions, including the educational boards, universities and district education offices, as advancing summer vacation would affect examinations and commencement of academic session as well.

On the issue of mandatory attendance rules in the case of college students, which proved a near-failure this year, the committee decided that in future the educational boards and universities would be the sole authority to decide either to withhold or release admit cards of students on the ground of short attendance. The boards would prepare the admit cards of only those college students who fulfilled the 75 per cent attendance requirement, the sources said.

Principals of colleges had been asked to send monthly attendance reports to boards, otherwise action would be taken against colleges failing to do so. Action, under the Efficiency and Disciplinary rules of the government, would also be taken against all such college principals in the province who failed to submit attendance reports of students to educational boards properly before the HSC annual examinations this year, the sources said.

Taking up the reports of certain misappropriation and non-submission of examination forms of college students despite collection of examination fees, the committee resolved to take severe action against defaulters. It was informed that notices were already being issued to college staff concerned in this regard.

There was a suggestion from officials dealing with colleges for allocation of sufficient amount by boards for conduct of examinations in colleges. However, when representatives from boards expressed their inability to increase the amount, it was suggested that colleges be allowed to collect a nominal amount of money from students with the examination fee to meet any extra expenditures on account of examinations, the sources said, adding the matter could not be finalized.