Private school associations reject extension of summer vacations in Sindh

Say extension of 10 days in summer vacations is useless, will go ahead with Aug 3 reopening

KARACHI: Rejecting orders of a summer holiday extension in Sindh, private school associations have said they would reopen schools on August 3 even if the order was not retracted.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Chairman All Private Schools Management Association Sindh Khalid Shah called on Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to reject the notification of extension of summer vacations in schools and colleges of Sindh.

“This 10-day extension in summer vacations is useless and we demand these orders be taken back,” he said.

Read: Summer holidays: Proposal for extension in school vacations

“Even if officials do not take back these orders, private school managements will reopen schools on August 3, no matter what consequences we face,” announced Shah. “We are ready to face any punishment or charges.”

He went on to say that all those areas that were not affected by floods and rains should be allowed to reopen on time. He also said it would become harder for the schools to complete the syllabus if vacations are extended as the institutes will most likely also remain closed during local body elections due to the law and order situation of the city.

The association’s management team had met the secretary education earlier on Friday and asked him to take back the notification. However, the secretary responded that he had asked Karachi to be exempted from this notification but since the chief minister had given the orders, he, himself, was not in the position to take them back.

The announcement came in the wake of a proposal forwarded by Education Secretary Fazlullah Pechuho to the office of the chief secretary to extend summer holidays of schools till August 11.

Pechuho had elaborated that many schools are occupied by flood victims, which is why reopening schools on August 3 is not possible.