Parents of the students from various educational institutes working under Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and teachers have been demanding extension in summer vacations during Ramazan but the directorate has not yet decided anything about the matter. The parents and teachers want extension in vacations so that they can observe fasting and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr in a befitting manner.
According to FDE instruction, the vacations started from June 1 will end on August 10 during the first decade of Ramadan, with only 22 days left in Eid. The students and teachers who have moved to their hometown during vacations are supposed to return in the first decade of Ramadan and join institutes and they will have to rush again to celebrate eid with their relatives.
Generally, students take one week to be regular to their studies after vacations and the attendance once again become thin during last ten days of Ramzan, a teacher, Nasir said. Similarly, those who observe Aitkaaf leave for their hometowns 10 days earlier so it will just be a haphazard exercise for them to return from their home towns for resuming studies and again rush back to their native areas for celebrating Eid with their near and dear ones, he said. "Last year, the vacations were extended till Eid-ul-Fitr on the directives of former Minister for Education, Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali and this year too, we are waiting for the same", Nasir added. "Although, we have completed our home assignments but we want to observe fasting in relaxed manner and it can only be possible if vacations are extended as the school activities make us exhausted especially in summer season," a student of class 8th said.
Meanwhile, Representative of Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA), Tahir said the association has demanded extension in summer vacations in written from Director General FDE, Atif Mehmood Kiyani but the directorate has not responded positively. The teachers' community is of the view that it will be easy to observe fasting and offer prayers with dedication if vacations are extended, he said.