RAWALPINDI: All schools in Punjab will observe 15-day winter vacations from Friday.

`Vacations will start from December 19 till January 2 in all government and private schools in Punjab,` said a notification issued by the school education department on Thursday. However, the private schools association refused to close their institutions from December 19.

`Due to the ongoing second-term examinations, we can`t close schools from tomorrow.

`We will observe winter holidays from December 25 to January 4,` said Abrar Ahmed, a representative of the private school association.

Last year, the Punjab government had announced winter vacations from December 22.

`Perhaps the government took the decision after the Peshawar school attack, said a government schoolteacher.