KARACHI, May 26: While schoolchildren on Friday went on their weekly holidays without any clear answers from their school managements about the start of summer vacation, government officials also failed to clear the confusion over the issue.

Private and government schools had nothing to say categorically to their students and teachers about the commencement of summer vacation.

Many parents also kept telephoning newspaper offices to know about the government’s latest stance.

In the meantime, 20 or so more private schools in the city approached the private school directorate of the Sindh education department for permission to observe summer vacation in June and July as usual and not in July and August.

However, the schools have been told to wait till an approval on the subject is received from the chief minister through the education secretary, an official of the private school directorate told Dawn that any action on applications being received at the directorate would be taken only after a formal directive was issued by the higher authorities.

It is learnt that about 25 schools offering both O/A Levels with some Matric systems have so far submitted applications for vacation in June and July instead of July and August, which were declared suddenly or belatedly as new vacation months for all government and private schools across the province by the Sindh education department.

Following reports that the government had softened its stance on the July-August summer vacation notification, private schools in the city started approaching the private school directorate of the Sindh education department.

Only a few academic days are left in the commencement of the much-desired summer vacation (June and July).

The secretary of the education department, Siddiq Memon, had told Dawn last Wednesday that his department had decided to forward a summary to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah for approval in view of the demand to observe the vacation in June and July.

The education secretary had further said that after meeting the representatives of various school managements opposing the July-August summer vacation directive, the education department had in principle decided to receive applications from all those educational institutions willing to observe summer vacation in June-July this year. According to the secretary, if the CM approved certain amendments to the previously-made decision, every private school would be in a position to observe summer vacation in June and July, if they so desired.

A source in the CM’s House said on Saturday that a fresh summary related to the government’s summer vacation notification of May 18 had been received and it was likely that the chief minister would examine the new recommendations forwarded by the Sindh education department for further orders in a day or so.