A meeting of the provincial education ministers on Monday decided to reopen the universities and colleges from September 15 across the country as part of a phase-wise process after a months-long break due to the coronavirus pandemic, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Although the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) endorsed the recommendations of the ministers' moot with emphasis on strict implementation of the SOPs, the final decision on the subject would be taken by the National Coordination Committee chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan after going through the recommendations forwarded by the Monday’s meeting.
Quoting sources, it is said that the move also covers the 9th and 10th classes in schools as well as the 1st and 2nd year classes in higher secondary schools and colleges as well as the corresponding O-Level and A-Level classes.
However, the classes for the 6th, 7th and 8th grades are to be restarted after one week during which the situation would be monitored before a final decision. Similarly, the primary school [from nursery/grade 1 to 5] students can join their classes a week after their immediate peers in higher classes.
The sources say the SOPs would be strictly followed in the educational institutions with face masks being mandatory for all students who are supposed to bring these with them from their homes.
Later, Punjab Education Minister Dr Murad Raas announced that all the public and private schools would be allowed to have only 50 percent students on a day with the remaining ones to be accommodated on alternate days. Moreover, there won’t be any double shifts, he added.
On the other hand, the Balochistan government told the ministers’ meeting that they did not have the resources to start all the classes simultaneously and for providing sanitizers at schools.