ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said all education and health ministers will meet on Tuesday April 6 to decide about the reopening or further closing of educational institutions.
In a tweet, he said Education and Health Ministers will meet at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday to decide whether to open or further close educational institutions.
“The exam situation will also be discussed. Whatever is decided will be a collective decision of the country’s health and education authorities & NCOC,” he added.
Education and Health Ministers will meet at the NCOC Tuesday to decide whether to open or further close educational institutions. The exam situation will also be discussed. Whatever is decided will be a collective decision of the country’s health and education authorities & NCOC
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) April 4, 2021
On March 25, the government ordered educational institutions in 18 high risk districts to remain closed until April 11.
Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said the decision to extend closures first ordered on March 15 had been taken as virus infection numbers had stayed high.
The districts subject to the closures include 10 regions in the Punjab and eight regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The capital Islamabad is also subject to closures.
Shafqat Mahmood said provincial governments had the prerogative to increase the number of areas where the restrictions were being tightened if deemed necessary.
Amid the worsening situation, the Sindh government is considering shutting down schools till class eight as coronavirus cases continue to increase across the province.
Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani chaired a meeting of a steering committee of the Sindh Education Department during which two proposals regarding closure of schools were discussed.
Some members of the steering committee suggested closing schools till class eight.A proposal was given to close schools for 15 days which was opposed.
During the meeting, a representative of private schools reportedly raised an objection why schools should be closed when markets are open.
Education Minister Saeed Ghani will present both proposals to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). However, he refuted media reports regarding a change in school timings for Ramazan.
