ISLAMABAD: In a meeting conducted today (Wednesday), the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) resolved to move educational institutions’ winter breaks from December to January, according to sources. According to sources, the decision was supported by all provinces, who agreed to the plan. “The decision was taken in line with the recommendations forwarded during the inter-provincial education ministers conference,” revealed the source. NCOC sources said the vaccination process will carry on in educational institutions, adding that educational institutions will remain closed in areas where heavy snowfall takes place. A meeting of all the education ministers was held yesterday to discuss whether winter vacations can be shifted from December to January in educational institutions due to several issues. The Government of Sindh has already announced winter vacations from December 20, 2021, to January 3, 2022. Federal Ministry of Education, in a handout issued yesterday, said recommendations for winter vacations suggested by all the provinces were under consideration and a “final decision will be taken at tomorrow’s (Wednesday) NCOC meeting.” Meanwhile, all provinces and textbook boards were directed at the meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers to publish the cabinet-approved political map of the country in the textbooks. “Before this, different maps were being published in different provinces,” the statement said. Educational institutions have already been teaching the new political map of the country, which was introduced by the federal government a couple of years ago, essentially asserting its longstanding position on the Kashmir and Sir Creek issues. Shafqat Mehmood says winter vacations ‘should be from Dec 25 to Jan 4’ Shafqat Mehmood, the Federal Minister of Education, said on Tuesday that winter breaks should be issued from December 25 to January 4 as per the “approved suggestion.” On Twitter, Mehmood wrote: “Today, the federal and provincial secretaries met. Winter vacation would run from December 25 to January 4, according to the agreed-upon proposal.” However, he said that the involved governments will issue additional alerts.