Re-Opening of Schools: Decision to be taken on Sept 7

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that the final decision regarding the reopening of educational institutions will be taken with consensus on September 7.

According to the details, Shafqat Mahmood in a meeting of the National Command and Operation Center in Islamabad here today emphasized that the educational institutions must ensure compliance with all Covid-19 protocols and prepare accordingly before the final decision.

The said that the government is formulating a strategy about the reopening of educational institutions.

The education minister said that the institutions be opened on top to bottom approach starting from the Universities to the High Schools on a rotation basis, and added that extracurricular activities would not be allowed.

Earlier Shafqat Mahmood said private educational institutions could only call their teachers and administration staff on duty before September 15 but the government schools can not allow calling their students before a final decision, as there could be no compromise on the health of students.

“Schools and colleges across the country will reopen only after the coronavirus pandemic is over,” he added.

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However,  he said strict SOPs, including spaced-out seating arrangements, division of classes into further sections, and change in timings could be some of the measures that schools will have to adopt whenever they were reopened.

“We are considering every possible option. We will try to adjust things like whether to hold the annual exams this year, or defer tests to next year”, he said.

“The final decision would be taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which monitors and acts upon the developments to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country,” he mentioned.

“We want to end the uncertainty as soon as possible with the consultation of all stakeholders on the basic important issue like education,” he minister said.