* PTU chief organiser calls unexpected winter vacations ‘utter mismanagement’ by education department
* Parent says govt needs to revise its decision, think of consequences for students
* EDO Education says planning to take action against private schools that remained open on Monday
LAHORE: The decision of the Punjab Education Department to close down schools for winter vacations before schedule has been criticised by teacher unions, parents and students alike.
The government’s decision is likely to aggravate the plight of the students whose schools and universities closed down last month too due to the security threats, especially after the terrorist attack at the Islamic University in Islamabad. Parents and students complained that examinations were drawing nearer and their syllabi were still incomplete.
Ridiculous decision: Punjab Teachers’ Union (PTU) chief organiser Allah Rakha Gujjar termed it ‘utter mismanagement’ on the part of the education department “to close down schools like this when they know it will only add to the troubles of the students whose education has already suffered much due to the prevailing security threats.”
However, Punjab Education Department (Secretary Schools) Aslam Kamboh said the decision to announce earlier holidays was taken due to falling temperatures, fog and Muharram.
The Punjab Education Department announced on Saturday that all public and private schools in the province were to be closed for winter vacations from December 21 to 31.
On December 15 a division bench of the Lahore High Court, headed by Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, had dismissed a petition seeking the closure of educational institutions in Punjab in view of the security threats.
The handout issued by the Punjab government does not mention any reasons for announcing winter vacations before schedule. The decision has been opposed and criticised by parents, students and teachers across the province. Private schools, on the other hand, remained open and would only close down for winter holidays starting from December 24.
Allah Rakha Gujjar said it is ‘ridiculous’ that schools have been closed down earlier as “the government knows very well that students of primary, middle and matriculation are all due to appear for their exams in the coming months.”
He said the teachers were not expecting any holidays as the schools had been closed last month as well. He said they were looking forward to completing their syllabi.
Parents troubled: Mrs Khalid, mother of an 8th grader said she was troubled by this unexpected announcement. On one hand, private schools were taking extra classes while the government was least bothered about the education of its children. She added that the government needed to revise its decision and look into its consequences for the students.
Director Public Instruction (DPI) Colleges Punjab Abdul Razzaq Cheema said he was unaware of the reasons behind early winter vacations, and he was just following the orders of the government.
Action: Executive District Officer (Education) Dr Arshad said he was planning to take action against all those private schools that remained open on Monday despite the announcement of the government. An official of the Education Department told Daily Times that the EDO had sent a letter to all private schools to immediately announce winter vacations.
Dr Arshad said the security situation of the province was very fragile and the government’s decision was in view of this vulnerability. He confirmed that they were determined to take action against the private schools refusing to close down.
An administrator of a private school told Daily Times that their school would remain open till December 24 as the students were having their annual tests and examinations.
A Punjab School Education Department official said it was not only the private schools but also the public schools which remained open on Monday due to mismanagement.
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