AJK Govt announces winter vacations for all public & private schools

ISLAMABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has approved winter vacations for government and private educational institutions across the region.

According to a notification issued by the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, the Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education has formally signed the winter vacation schedule for all schools.

According to the notification, schools in cold areas of Azad Kashmir will have winter vacations from December 26, 2025 to February 26, 2026, and the institutions will remain closed for a total of 63 days.

A separate schedule has been announced for schools in relatively warm areas. These institutions will remain closed from December 29, 2025 to January 10, 2026 with a 13-day winter vacation.

The statement clarified that the winter vacation schedule will be applicable equally in all government and private schools in Azad Kashmir.

The decision in Azad Kashmir comes at a time when education authorities across the country have put their respective winter vacation plans on hold.

In Islamabad, federal schools and colleges under the Federal Directorate of Education will remain closed from December 26, 2025 to January 3, 2026, with classes to resume on January 5, 2026. Private schools and colleges in the federal capital, which are managed by PEIRA, have been directed to follow the same dates for winter vacations.

The provinces have also moved in the same direction. Punjab has announced winter vacations for schools and colleges from December 22, 2025 to January 10, 2026, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has adopted a zone-based schedule with short breaks in summer areas and extended closures in areas with severe winters.