Manend Team 
ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): Minister for Federal Education,
Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood
announced on Monday that schools and educational institutions will
reopen across the country in three phases.
“On January 18, classes for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 — those that have
exams — will resume,” he said during a news conference along with
Special Assistant to PM on National Health Services, Regulations and
Coordination Dr. Faisal Sultan, after chairing inter-provincial education
ministers’ conference in Islamabad on Monday. “This means that
students of grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 will go to their schools and
colleges from January 18 and their studies will resume.”
He said that in the second phase, students of primary classes till grade
8 will return to schools from January 25. The minister said that
universities and other higher education institutions will reopen from
February 1 in the third and last phase.
The federal government has decided to reopen educational institutions,
closed due to COVID-19, in three phases from 18th of this 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.
Speaking on the occasion, SPAM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said they
noted a decline in infection rate after the educational institutions were
closed and urged the masses to keep following the safety protocols
announced by the government.
The SAPM added that keeping in view the current data we decided to
further delay the reopening of schools. 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.
Meanwhile, Shafqat Mehmood said the administrative staff and
teachers can resume their duties at schools, colleges and universities
from January 11. “Online and home-based learning, can also be held
from January 11,” he said.
The minister announced that board exams have been postponed till
May and June as students did not have enough time to prepare for
their exams.
Mahmood said that another meeting will be held on January 14-15 by
the education ministers to review the health situation in the country.
He reiterated that the decisions had been taken after consulting all
provinces.
Prior to Mahmood’s press conference, Punjab Education Minister Dr.
Murad Raas tweeted that classes from grades 9-12 will resume in the
province from January 18 while those from ECE to 8th grade will
resume from January 25.
“Universities to open on February 1st, 2021. All institutions will have
50% students on alternate days as before,” he tweeted.
