LAHORE - Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said that the final decision regarding the opening of educational institutions will be taken on Monday.
Briefing the media persons in Islamabad on Friday, he said proposals are being discussed to gradually resume the educational activities. He said there is a proposal to resume the classes of Nine and above from the 15th of this month.
Keeping in view the situation, the classes of six, seven and eight may be resumed a week after. And if the situation remains better, there is a proposal to open the primary level schools from 30th September.
The Minister for Education said that health of the children is our foremost priority and no risk will be taken vis-a-vis their health. Shafqat Mahmood said the educational institutions will be required to comply with the SOPs.
On the other hand, the Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani says that all educational institutions should not be reopened simultaneously. The provincial education minister stated this during a meeting held in Karachi on Friday.
Meanwhile, the National Command and Operation Center has asked the provinces to ensure health guidelines and standard operating procedures at schools and other educational institutions after reopening.
Presiding over a virtual meeting of NCOC in Islamabad, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said the provincial governments should increase their existing capacity of contact tracing and quarantining.
It was assured that all out assistance would be extended to provinces to ramp up their testing capacities.
