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ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the country’s nerve centre on tackling the virus, is expected to decide on closing schools and educational institutes amid the third wave of the pandemic.
A meeting of the NCOC will be held on Monday to deliberate on the education sector and the prevailing situation of the coronavirus across the country. The forum is expected on decide about the closing down schools across the country as the situation worsens.
Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmoodd will issue the decision after consulting federal and provincial educational authorities.
Educational institutions were closed across the country twice last year after the coutry witnessed a rapid rise in coronavirus cases. In-person classes were suspended first in late February 2020 which later resumed in phases from September 15, 2020. The second wave of the virus triggered the closure of educational institutions from November 26, 2020, to January 18, 2021
Amid the third wave, the government is considering extending the closure of schools and other educational institutions in Islamabad as the coronavirus positivity ratio nears 10% and the virus showing no signs of slowing down.
Federal education officials have warned of schools across Islamabad remaining closed for in-person learning for an extended time period.
The government has closed educational institutions in seven Punjab cities and Islamabad from March 15 to March 28 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases. It is reported that the government would announce the resumption of in-person classes after Eid since the holy month of Ramazan is expected to commence by mid-April.
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