KARACHI, Dec 18: Schools and colleges, both in the public and private sectors, throughout the province will observe winter vacations from Dec 20 instead of Dec 23, it was learnt officially.

When contacted, the Additional Secretary Education, Sindh, Dr Mahboob Ali Sheikh, said that changes in the dates of vacations had been made under a decision of the steering committee of the education department. With the latest decision of the steering committee held last week, students would now get a couple of days more as vacations, he added.

When finalizing the schedule of vacations and exams of educational board early this year, the steering committee had decided to keep the education institutions close from Dec 23 to Jan 1.

Dr Sheikh said that now educational institutions of the Sindh government and those in the private sector would reopen on Jan 3. He claimed that a formal notice on the subject had also been issued to offices concerned, while private schools managements were being informed verbally.

Despite the fact that a majority of participants in the steering committee's meeting held last week had opposed the idea of delaying the commencement of academic sessions for schools, another meeting on the subject would be held shortly. The education minister had ordered that academic session should be started from August.