Truth behind Punjab’s Extended Winter Holidays
Social media users are circulating what seems to be an official notification from Punjab’s Higher Education Department, indicating an extension of winter vacations for both public and private institutions until January 14.
The notification claims that colleges across Punjab, both public and private, are set to reopen on January 15, 2024, resuming regular classes for a full week. This purported extension of the winter break is causing confusion among parents, teachers, and students.
However, it has been confirmed that the notification dated January 4 is false.
The authentic notification regarding the extension of winter vacations for Punjab’s colleges and universities was issued by the Higher Education Department (HED) on December 30, 2023. This official notification declared that public and private educational institutions would reopen on January 10, 2024.
The HED convened a meeting to discuss the extension of winter holidays in these educational institutions. During this meeting, several proposals were tabled:
- Extending school holidays for primary schools from January 9 to January 15.
- Adjusting school timings from 9 am to 2 pm.
- Summoning only those students to school who have their annual exams for ninth and tenth grades in March.
- Extending the winter vacation for all other classes.