KARACHI: Citing security fears, the provincial education department on Tuesday announced an extension of 11 days in the winter vacation for schools, officials said.

“The education department has extended the winter vacation by 11 days till Jan 12 because of security fears,” it was confirmed to Dawn by a spokesman for the provincial minister for education. Earlier, the schools were scheduled to open on Jan 1, he added.

The extension in the vacation has been prompted by the deadly Dec 16 attack on a Peshawar school, another official said.

The education department issued a notification to this effect saying the order would be applicable to all schools, both in the public and private sectors.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014