NCOC decides to shift winter vacations to January: sources

• NCOC arrives at decision to shift winter vacations to January via consensus, say sources.
• Education ministers' meeting yesterday discussed whether winter vacations can be shifted to January.
• Sindh government has already announced winter vacations from December 20 to January 1.

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to shift the winter vacations for educational institutions to January from December, in a meeting held today (Wednesday), sources confirmed to Geo News.

Sources further told Geo News that the decision was backed by all provinces, who agreed to the proposal. 

"The decision was taken in line with the recommendations forwarded during the inter-provincial education ministers conference," revealed the source. 

NCOC sources said the vaccination process will carry on in educational institutions, adding that educational institutions will remain closed in areas where heavy snowfall takes place. 

A meeting of all the education ministers was held yesterday to discuss whether winter vacations can be shifted from December to January in educational institutions due to several issues.

The Government of Sindh has already announced winter vacations from December 20, 2021 to January 3, 2022.

Federal Ministry of Education, in a handout issued yesterday, said recommendations for winter vacations suggested by all the provinces were under consideration and a "final decision will be taken at tomorrow's (Wednesday) NCOC meeting."

Meanwhile, all provinces and textbook boards were directed at the meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers to publish the cabinet-approved political map of the country in the textbooks.

"Before this, different maps were being published in different provinces," the statement said.

Educational institutions have already been teaching the new political map of the country, which was introduced by the federal government a couple of years ago, essentially asserting its longstanding position on the Kashmir and Sir Creek issues.

Shafqat Mehmood says winter vacations 'should be from Dec 25 to Jan 4'

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on Tuesday said that as per the "agreed proposal" winter vacations should be announced from December 25 to January 4.

Mehmood wrote on Twitter: "Federal and provincial secretaries met today. The agreed proposal was that the winter holidays should be from Dec 25 to Jan 4."

However, he added that further notifications will be issued from the concerned governments.