ISLAMABAD The education and health ministers have decided to review the decision over the opening of educational institutes amid the rising trend of coronavirus cases across the country.
The federal and provincial education and health ministers will attend the meeting which will be chaired by Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood.
Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said, “The third coronavirus wave is serious; requires careful review. All education/health ministers will meet Wednesday, March 24 at the NCOC to take a decision regarding the opening or further closure of educational institutions. The health of students, teachers/staff primary consideration,” he tweeted.
The third coronavirus wave is serious; requires careful review. All education/health ministers will meet Wednesday March 24 at the NCOC to take a decision regarding opening or further closure of educational institutions. Health of students, teachers/staff primary consideration
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) March 21, 2021
On March 10, the education minister had announced the closure of all public and private educational institutions in seven major cities of Punjab from March 15 to March 28.
He said that all educational institutions in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Rawalpindi, Multan and Sialkot will remain close for two weeks for Spring break.
Shafqat Mahmood had also said that all educational institutions in Islamabad, Peshawar and Muzaffarabad will also remain close for two weeks. He clarified that the new orders were not applicable to institutions that are going through exams.
The minister further said that situation of the coronavirus pandemic was under control in Balochistan and Sindh so educational institutions in these provinces will follow the policy of 50 percent attendance.
Pakistan recorded 3,667 new cases of COVID-19 and 44 more deaths across the country during the last twenty-four hours.
According to the latest statistics from National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the total number of cases from the novel coronavirus has surged to 626,802. The death toll from the virus has reached 13,843 as the situation worsens across the country.
As many as 31,107 active cases in the country while 2,900 people remain in critical condition. A total of 41,960 tests were conducted across the country during this period. The positivity ratio was recorded at 8.7 percent during the past day.
