KP extends winter vacations for primary schools in summer zone

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has announced to extend the winter vacations for primary schools in the summer zone until January 13 due to the cold weather.

The summer zone comprises Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi and Kohat and some other adjoining districts.

According to the notification issued by the KP Elementary and Secondary Education Department, the middle, high, and higher secondary schools in the summer zone will resume classes from January 8, 2024, but with changed timings. The schools will open at 9:30 am instead of 8:00 am to avoid the morning chill.

The winter zone, which covers the mountainous regions of the province that have a snowy and cold climate, such as Chitral, Swat, Upper Dir, Kohistan, Battagram, Hazara region and Malakand, will follow the same schedule as before. The winter zone schools will reopen on February 1, 2024, after a two-month break³.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has not yet decided whether to extend the winter vacations for its schools or not. The Punjab School Education Department is expected to submit its recommendations to the chief minister soon, who will make the final decision.

Sources say that the department has proposed four options, ranging from extending the vacations for all classes till January 15,  to calling only the ninth and tenth graders to school and giving the rest of the students more holidays. The annual examinations for the matriculation and intermediate classes are scheduled to be held in March 2024.