No reason to delay resumption of classes in Sindh: Shafqat Mahmood

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood has said the reopening of schools for sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders across the country will go on as planned.

His remarks came after the Sindh government today announced to postpone reopening of schools in the second phase amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the province.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that the decision to resume classes in the second phase has been delayed as more COVID-19 cases have been reported in educational institutions across the country.

He added that out of 3,636 students in different schools, 89 tested positive for COVID-19. “This figure constitutes 2.4 percent of all the cases which is not a welcoming sign.”

On the other hand, Shafqat Mahmood said that the timetable announced in the inter-provincial meeting of education ministers would be implemented.

“We will meet in the National Command and Operations Centre on 22nd to decide finally but if the present trend remains, no cause to postpone 6 to 8 opening on 23rd September,” The federal minister added.

Classes 6th to 8th were to resume on September 21. Pre-primary and primary classes have been scheduled to resume on September 30.

This is in reference to the decision announced by Sindh today https://t.co/qdQu3lgCDp

— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) September 18, 2020

Earlier today, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said 10 educational institutions in KP and three in Sindh have been shut down for flouting the standard operating procedures laid down by the government to safeguard against the spread of COVID-19.

The coronavirus has killed nine more people in Pakistan and brought the total death toll to 6,408 during the last 24 hours.

According to the latest figures released by the National Command and Operations Center, 752 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 304,386.

In Pakistan, 291,683 people infected with the global epidemic coronavirus have recovered and the number of active cases has come down to 6,295.

The number of coronavirus cases in Sindh has reached 133,125. 98,142 cases have been reported in Punjab, 37,242 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 13,991 in Balochistan, 16,033 in Islamabad, 2,472 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and 3,381 in Gilgit.

The death toll from the coronavirus has risen to 2,225 in Punjab and 2,455 in Sindh, while the number has risen to 1,257 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 180 in Islamabad, 145 in Balochistan, 80 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and 66 in Azad Kashmir.