KARACHI: As winter vacations officially come to an end, all, save some, schools and colleges in the province are reopening from Monday (today) as the Sindh Education Department has not extended the vacations despite the dropping of mercury levels here.

       Due to the weather turning very cold, it was earlier being thought that the education department might issue some notification regarding extending the winter vacation, which did not happen.

       Therefore, all schools and colleges here are expected to resume classes from the earlier planned date of Monday, Jan 3, 2022.

       Sindh began the winter vacations on Dec 20 amid much confusion of conflicting information coming from the federal government and Punjab. The National Command and Operation Centre had advised pushing forward the holidays to January so that pupils could be vaccinated in schools. But the education institutions in Sindh began their vacations from Dec 20 while the education institutions in Punjab closed for winter break from Dec 23.

       Still, even then, despite the provincial government’s notification, several private schools known as elite schools closed for winter a bit late as they were also holding their examinations at the time.

       And now as most education institutions open on Monday, again there are several elite schools that will open late causing confusion among students and their parents. Many of these schools are expected to reopen by January 10.

       Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2022