ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to reopen educational institutions, closed due to COVID-19, from grade 9 to grade 12 in three phases from January 18.
Inter-provincial education ministers’ conference was held in Islamabad on Monday and cnsultation was made for reopening the educational institutions across the country. The provincial education ministers from all the four provinces took part in the conference which was held under educaiton minister Shafqat Mehmood.
Later Minster for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood and speical assistant to prime minister on health Faisal Sultan announced the decision in a joint press conference .
The Minister said in the first phase, students of Grade 9, 10, 11, and 12 will go to schools and colleges on 18th of this month. He said the students from Grade 1 to 8 will resume their classes at schools on 25th of this month. In the final phase, he said, higher education institutions will be reopened on the first of the next month.
Shafqat Mahmood said the teachers and administration staff, who have been on winter vacations till 10th of this month, can rejoin their duties on 11th of this month, and home-based online learning can be resumed.
He said the board examinations, scheduled for March and April are being postponed to May and June this year.
Earlier, explaining the situation amidst COVID-19, Special Assistant on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan said the closure of the educational institutions and the other Standard Operating Procedures have contributed to contain spread of the pandemic.
He, however, said a further pause in the situation will help further improve the situation in respect of controlling COVID-19.
