Shafqat Mahmood dismisses rumours schools will remain closed till October

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on Friday dismissed rumours that schools will remain closed till October.

The minister issued the clarification after some fake accounts in his name spread false information. He said that education ministers will meet on 7th September to decide whether educational institutions will reopen.

“Some fake accounts in my name are spreading false news that schools will remain closed till Oct. Not true. Education ministers meet on 7th to finally decide with likelihood of opening on Sept 15 in a phased manner,” the federal minister said.

Some fake accounts in my name are spreading false news that schools will remain closed till Oct. Not true. Education ministers meet on 7th to finally decide with likelihood of opening on Sept 15 in a phased manner

— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) September 4, 2020

Addressing a press conference last month, the minister said the decision to reopen schools would be taken at an interprovincial education ministers’ conference on 7th September.

He said the Ministry of Health will devise standard operating procedures (SOPs) for educational institutions to prevent the spread of the virus. He added that schools will reopen from 15th September if the coronavirus situation improves.

READ MORE: Final decision to reopen schools will be taken on Sept 7: Minister

The minister said it was decided with consensus among all the provincial education ministers to close educational institutions during the pandemic and to reopen them on September 15. He said Pakistan gave an outstanding response to the COVID-19 challenge in the education sector.

He said the inter-provincial education ministers forum was made functional to reach consensus decisions for the development of the education sector.