Sindh extends school holidays, delays new academic session by 14 days

The Sindh government has extended the summer holidays by an additional 14 days, with public and private educational institutions across the province, including Karachi, now scheduled to reopen on August 15.

An official notification has been issued, citing extreme heat, a potential heatwave, and the monsoon season as reasons for the extension.

This decision delays the academic session 2024/25 by 15 days, which was initially set to commence on April 15 but was postponed to August 1 by the interim government, reportedly due to the unavailability of textbooks at the session's start. The current extension is also believed to be linked to the non-availability of textbooks. The Directorate of Government Schools has yet to receive a distribution schedule from the Sindh Textbook Board.

The decision will affect private schools that do not follow the Sindh Textbook Board curriculum, including Cambridge A-level and O-level schools. Public colleges, which were set to reopen on August 1, will also remain closed.

According to the Education Department's announcement, the extension is due to severe weather conditions.

Sindh's Education Minister, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, directed the issuance of the notification, which emphasised the need for the extension in light of extreme heat and heavy rainfall predictions. The announcement encouraged schools to continue extracurricular activities related to August 14 celebrations, with all private and public schools set to organise Independence Day programmes.

The new academic year in Sindh will now commence on August 15.