PESHAWAR: The elementary and secondary education department on Monday extended the winter vacation in the summer zone for six days.

Educational institutions in the summer zone were set to open on January 1, but with the extension in the vacation, now the institutions will reopen on January 7.

`The competent authority is pleased to extend winter vacationin summer zone up to January 6, 2025 for all the public and private educational institutions throughout the province with immediate effect,` according to a notification issued by the education department.

No reason has been given in the notification regarding extension in the winter vacation.

An official of the education department told Dawn that the decision of extending the winter vacation had been taken by the higher authorities, apparently dueto cold weather. Similarly, the higher education department also extended the winter vacation of public and private sector universities and colleges in the summer zoneuptoJanuary5.

`In continuation of this department`s notification dated 18.12.2024, the competent authority is pleased to extend winter vacation in summer zone up to January 5, 2025, for all public/private universities/colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,` reads a notification issued here.