PESHAWAR: Educationists on Wednesday criticised the Khyber Palchtunkhwa education department over failure to announce a definite date for the reopening of local schools and said the extension in winter vacation had been adversely affecting the studies of schoolchildren.

Flanked by Fazlullah Daudzai, Mushtaq Yousafzai and Jamaat Ali Shah, Iqra Education System Khyber Pakhtunkhwa director Mirajuddin Khan told a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club that the education department should announce a clear-cut date for the reopening of schools to remove unrest among parents and students.

He expressed concern over the prolonged closure of educational activities across the province and said it was not good for the studies ofstudents.

`The education department should announce a clear and indubitably schedule for re-opening of the academic institutions in the province,` he said.

The educationist said all educational institutions both private and government had been closed for three weeks due to the Army Public School Peshawar attack on December 16 and thatno speciñc date had been announcedfor theirreopening to the misery of students and their parents.

He said though the examinations of matriculation were scheduled to begin on March 16, ironically winter vacation was extended until January 11.

Miraj said the educational boards neither postponed the examinations nor did they curtail the course.

He also said the Cricket World Cup would take place in February, which could also adversely affect academic activities in the province.

The educationist said private schools had taken appropriate security measures despite having limited resources, while the government educational institutions too had made a comprehensive security plan under the current delicate security circumstances.

He said the prolonged closure of schools had deprived the administrations of monthly fee, so they were unable to pay salary to staff members to their unrest. Miraj demanded that the government immediately announce schedule for the reopening of educational institutions instead of further extending winter vacation. Bureau Report