Schools in Sindh to close a week earlier for summer vacations

Private Schools Management Association rejects education secretary's holiday announcement

KARACHI: As blistering heat continues to hit across the country, Sindh’s Education Department on Thursday announced to close public and private education institutes a week earlier than the routine schedule.

Given the extreme weather conditions, Sindh’s Education Secretary Fazlullah Pechuho announced schools will shut a week earlier for summer vacations this year.

All educational institutions in the province will remain closed from May 19 (today) to July 25, the education secretary said.



The decision comes after a meeting between Pechuho and the provincial minister for education, and a notification will soon be issued in this regard, sources said.

Private schools will remain open till May 24, says PSMA

Meanwhile, Private Schools Management Association (PSMA) rejected the announcement.

“The secretary education should have consulted the private schools management association before announcing the decision,” PSMA chairman Sharfuz Zaman said.

“All private institutes will remain open until Monday (May 23) or Tuesday (May 24) to complete work on the home study schedule for summer vacations,” he said, adding the decision was taken to address the concerns of the parents.



Earlier this week, Met Office said Pakistan will continue to swelter in the coming days with hot and dry weather conditions expected to prevail across the country.

Daytime temperatures in the plains of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh are likely to hover above normal and cross 45 degree Celsius. Some central parts of the country are expected to witness up to 52 degrees.

In Larkana and Jacobabad, the mercury level has already touched 50 degree Celsius. It has been fluctuating between 51 and 53 degrees in Mohenjodaro and is expected to increase even more in the upcoming week.

On Monday, over 67 students had fallen unconscious reportedly due to the scorching heat during a parent teacher council (PTC) meeting at a government high school in Malakand district.

The incident had taken place at Government Zeeshan Shaheed High School where students were assembled for a PTC meeting.