Govt issue guidelines for reopening educational institutions

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has issued the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for avoiding the spread of COVID-19 among students after the reopening of educational institutions from September 15.

According to the SOPs, no assembly of students will be held in schools in the morning and the students will go to their classes directly.

The SOPs also make it mandatory for students to wear masks, wash their hands and keep social distancing.

It asks schools to ensure screening of students at their entry to schools and not to allow students suffering from fever, cough and cold. The SOPs also recommends parents not to rely on public transport to drop their children to schools.

Schools are asked to divide each class into two sections and to teach each section separately in different shifts of 4-hour each. The break or half-time will also be observed in shifts.

It recommends limiting the use of canteens and urges the parents to provide home-made food to their kids.

The health SOPs will be implemented by the administration of educational institutions in consultation with the local administration.

Authorities will provide guidelines to administrators of educational institutions. The SOPs also calls for adherence to safety measures at hostels.

Though the next major challenge was to enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) and health guidelines in around 300,000 educational institutions across the country and all focus should be made in this regard.

Earlier, the government had announced to reopen schools and other educational institutions from mid of September in view of the constant drop in the number of COVID-19 infections in the country.

However, a final decision about the reopening of educational institutions will be taken on September 7.