Educational institutions nationwide reopen today

The educational institutions including colleges and universities across the country, which were closed in November 2020 due to the second wave of coronavirus pandemic, will reopen today (Monday). Saturday will be a working day throughout the academic session. The students of grade 9 to 12 resumed their classes from January 18, 2021 whereas the federal and provincial authorities had decided to commence the classes for primary to grade 8 on January 25. Later, the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference decided that all primary, elementary and university classes would resume academic activities from February 1, 2021 with special vigilance in terms of standard operating procedures. On Saturday, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood also confirmed that all primary schools and universities would reopen from Monday. Talking to the media in Sukkur, Mahmood said the country had witnessed "too much loss of education" due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The minister noted that education played a crucial role in the economic development and growth of a country and emphasised that use of technology was crucial to ensuring quality education. “Pakistan needs to invest more in education sector in the coming years. Use of technology is vital to bridge the educational gap and better teaching methodologies will be helpful to ensure quality education,” he maintained. The authorities have instructed the educational institutions to strictly implement the Covid-19 SOPs as they resume their academic activities today. The educational institutions are required to call students in the form of groups with a one day gap. The students have been asked to wear masks and keep an extra one in their bags. They are required to keep water bottles and lunch with them and will not be allowed to exchange things. The temperature of children and staff will be checked at the entrance of the institution where they will be given a sanitiser to disinfect themselves. Meanwhile, parents are asked not to send their child to school if they are having cough or fever. There will be seven periods a day and no one including the students, staff and visitors will be allowed to enter the premises without a mask. Washrooms will be cleaned and soaps will be provided there. The heads of institutions will arrive half an hour early while there will be no breaks and the canteen or tuck shops will remain closed. Every day the buildings of the educational institutions will be sprayed with disinfectants after the school timings. Children will be seated at a distance in the classrooms with special arrangements and teachers would disseminate information about coronavirus. Last week, a meeting at the National Command and Operation Centre was held to finalise the strategy for the resumption of classes at the primary, middle and university level on February 1. The forum decided that students in Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Peshawar would attend the classes with 50% strength on alternate days.

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