New academic session of schools to kick off on April 1

Karachi
The Steering Committee of Sindh Education Department has announced schedule of the academic session, admissions, examinations, vacations and holidays for the year 2015 during a meeting held on Wednesday at committee room of Sindh Assembly and chaired by Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro.
The Steering Committee decided that the academic session of the schools for the year 2015 and onward will be commence from April 1, Cambridge schools O and A level from August 1 and colleges from August 2.
While the admission in Class IX will commence from April 01 and admission in class XI in Karachi shall be made through centralised admission policy (CAP) of the Education and Literacy Department from September 07 and the admission in class XII may started during vacations and completed by September 01.
Regarding steering committee decisions senior minister Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said that the students from class I to III have the facility to automatic promotion but there will be written examinations of these students locally for the sake of creating sense of examination among the students.
He further said examination up to class VIII will be completed by March 15 and result will be announced till March 31 when theory examination of Secondary School Certifiate-I and II will be commenced from April 07 and afterward practical exams will take place.
The result of SSC-II (Class X) will be announced by July 15 by all examination boards of Sindh whereas Board of Secondary Education Karachi will announce by July 31. The result of Class IX will be announced within 60 days after announcement of matriculation result, he added.
According to him, theory examination of Higher Secondary school Certificate-I and II (Class XI-XII) will be commence from April 28 and the result of HSC-II (Class XII) will be announced by all boards of Sindh on August 31 but the Board of Intermediate Examination Karachi will announce by September 15.
Khuhro mentioned that the result of XI will be announced within 60 days after announcement of result of class XII and all public sector universities of Sindh will conduct the degree examinations according their own schedule to be communicated to the department.
"School building and college building will be utilised for conducting the examinations. All the school and college buildings will be used examination centers only. All the boards of examination of Sindh should try to utmost reduce their examination centers."
The senior minister also said all head of institutions concerned directors, regional directors and Boards will ensure to implement the condition of 75 percent attendance before the acceptance of the examination centers only.
He directed that all the teachers will be required to take-up the examination word as a part of their duties in case of violation, and warned that action will be initiated if someone failed to do as per directives.
All head of institutions should act as internal superintendent compulsory and the non teaching staff shall not be assigned invigilation duties in schools, he mentioned.

Annual vacations
Nisar Khuhro said summer vacation in all educational institutions will be observed from June 01 to August 01 and educational institutions will reopen on August 03.
He further said winter vacations will be observed from December 22 to 31 and Eid Millad-un-Nabi SA holiday will be observed on January 04, Kashmir Day on February 05, Pakistan Day on March 23, Labour Day on May 01, Shab-e-Mairaj on May 16, Shab-e-Barrat June 03, Youm-e-Ali on July8.
Meanwhile, Shab-e-Qadar on July15, Eidul Fitar July18 and 19, Independence Day on August14, Eid-ul- Azha on September 22 to 23, Ashura on October 22 and 23, Iqbal Day on November 09, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai on November25, Chehlum December 02 and 23 and Quaid-e-Azam Day on December 25 and will be observed holidays.
The event like Eid Millad-un-Nabi, Pakistan Day and Independence Day will be celebrated in schools and colleges.
He said in all educational institution of Sindh one week may be reserved for sports and other co-curricular activities during academic year.
Nisar Ahmed Khuhro further said that to increase the enrollment of students double shift will be started in some schools in each district of Sindh and those schools will be handed over to the Sindh Education Foundation and private sector also.
He added to curb the copy culture we are considering to install the CCTV cameras in the examination centers and for final decision he will convene another meeting soon with concerned officials and boards officials.