‘Schools unlikely to open in January’

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said Wednesday that schools across the country may not reopen in January.

The minister highlighted that under given circumstances, where the second wave of the novel coronavirus has gripped the country, it is highly unlikely that educational institutions will reopen.

However, Ghani said this year no student will be promoted without exams and new dates for exams will be announced soon.

As privates schools and colleges associations are putting pressure on the governments to reopen the schools, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas also backs the idea.

Murad Rass has said children were roaming freely in markets, malls and parks during the vacations and either the government should close these places or ban the entry of the children at these places.

He said if this is not possible he would recommend in the next meeting of education ministers of the country to reopen the schools sooner than later.

In the 24 hours, 83 more people succumbed to the virus while over 2,000 new cases were reported country-wide. The highest number of cases were reported in Sindh, followed by Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In November, experts revealed that Pakistan was battling the second wave of the pandemic after which the National Command and Operation Centre ordered schools to be closed and education to resume online.

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said that classes will be taken online and the term will continue till December 24. Winter vacations will commence from December 25 and last till January 10.

All educational institutions across the country were closed late February after coronavirus cases had spiked. They were reopened in phases starting September 15. Universities, colleges, and classes IX and X resumed from September 15. The students from classes VI to VIII were called to schools from September 23 and the students enrolled below class VI started from September 30.