Government announces closure of all educational institutions from November 26

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on Monday said that all educational institutions in Pakistan would remain closed from November 26 to January 10 due to increasing cases of corona virus.

The Federal Minister for Education was addressing a press conference at the National Operations and Command Center (NCOC) with Dr. Faisal Sultan on Health to brief the Health Minister on the decisions taken at the meeting.

We have analyzed the situation of corona virus in all the provinces and concluded that strict action must be taken to stop the spread of the virus. Dr Sultan said.

The SAPM added that the situation in the country was deteriorating day by day and the positivity ratio had reached 7.4 per cent.

What are the decisions?

November 26 - All students begin studying at home

December 24 - Last day of online classes

December 25 to January 10, 2021 - Winter holidays

January 11 - Schools resume activities in the first week of January after reviewing the situation

Professional examinations including MDCAT 2020 as per schedule

Board exams will be pushed to June

All ministers have mutually agreed to close all educational institutions including schools colleges universities and tuition centers. 

However : online classes will continue from November 26 to December 24 after which the winter break The schools will reopen on January 11. 2021 said Mahmoud.

The minister said a review meeting would be held in the first week of January before the schools reopen.

Mahmood further said that all the examinations scheduled during this period have also been postponed which will start from January 15.

Dr. Sultan said that professional examinations including MDCAT 2020 will be as per schedule but COVID-19 SOPs will be strictly followed.

He added : If there are any other examinations scheduled for appointment, they will continue as scheduled.

 Only one third of students are allowed in the hostel and other trainings and courses  which are not in the classroom are ongoing. 

Mahmood said he was also requesting that the board exams scheduled in March and April be postponed to June and May so that students could teach their syllabus.

They are also considering starting the school year in August instead of April.

Punjab Board exams will be held in May

Meanwhile  Punjab Education Minister Murad Rass said that school children in Punjab would be promoted to the next classes based on their homework.

He further said that Punjab Board examinations  which are held in March will now be held in May and June 2021.

The minister also said that when schools remain closed  teachers will have to go to school twice a week ie on Mondays and Thursdays to ensure that the quality of homework is high.

Regarding the closure of schools  Murad Rass said that he was not in favor of closing the schools however  all the provincial education ministers have taken a unanimous decision.

 If schools are being closed to protect children then parks shopping malls and other recreational areas should also be closed (he said).

No promotion in Sindh without exams

However : Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that no student would be promoted to the next class without any examination this year adding that the dates for the ninth matriculation and intermediate examinations would be decided now. The rest

During the meeting, the minister suggested that instead of closing all schools in the province, only primary schools - with 75% enrollment - should be closed, while children on holiday and above should continue to attend school.

However, the federal education minister said schools across the country would remain closed for a specified period without exception.

82% increase in positive ratio

Earlier, a keynote meeting was held at the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) to review the latest COVID-19 situation and the closure of schools and winter breaks in light of the growing infection among students and teachers. Was decided.

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar presided over the meeting at the NCOC. Dr. Sultan and Mahmood participated in it.

The participants were briefed by the Ministry of National Health and the NCOC on the epidemic situation in the country.

The NCOC was informed that the positivity ratio in educational institutions has increased from 1.8% to 3.3% in the last one week, which is in fact an increase of 82%.

The forum considered lengthy decisions on educational institutions.

After the NCOC meeting, the Education Minister met and discussed the recommendations.