RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Education Department on Tuesday announced summer vacations in all the public and private sector educational institutions in the province from June 1 (today) till July 31.

The District Education Authority Rawalpindi warned private schools to comply with the schedule and close their outlets without any further delay.

District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mohammad Azam Kashif told Dawn that the summer vacations would start from June 1 and there would be a zero tolerance policy against those who failed to close their schools in the hot weather.

Mr Kashif said teams had been formed to check and take action against private schools found open from June 1. A warning has already been issued to the private schools asking them to close.

He said basically the private schools wanted to open the schools for 10 and 15 days to collect fees, adding the education authority would take the issue of fee seriously.

He said private schools had been asked a week ago to give summer vacation homeworks to their students and complete the examinations but they were reluctant in order to delay the start of the vacations.

He said it was difficult for the government to allow the schools to open in the hot weather.

The official said that parents were contacting the education authority to protect their children from the current heatwave.

On the other hand, All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association President Abrar Ahmad Khan demanded that Deputy Commissioner Tahir Farooq should allow private educational institutions to continue conducting classes for a limited time till the completion of the 9th grade examinations.

He said that the District Education Authority chief executive officer should be stopped from taking action against private educational institutions.

Mr Khan said that the association at its meeting had expressed reservations over the summer vacations announced by the Punjab Education Department.

He said private educational institutions had been closed for a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic which caused extraordinary educational loss to the children.

“We have requested the deputy commissioner Rawalpindi to allow children to come to schools from 7am to 10am as the 9th grade examinations are in progress.”

He said that at present weather in Rawalpindi had become pleasant and the intensity of heat had subsided.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2022