No reason to postpone resumption of classes for 6-8 graders if situation remains same: Shafqat

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said Friday that the reopening of schools for sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders across the country will go ahead as per schedule.

The federal minister's announcement comes hours after Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani announced that the phase-wise reopening of schools in the province is being delayed over fears of the spread of COVID-19.

"Our purpose is not to shut down schools permanently [...] we simply seek for them to mend their ways when we see they are not fulfilling their responsibility. They should follow through with the commitments made," Ghani had said earlier.

Mahmood, on the other hand, said that the timetable announced in the inter-provincial meeting of education ministers would be implemented.

"We will meet in the National Command and Operations Centre on 22nd to decide finally but if the current trend remains, no reason to postpone 6 to 8 opening on 23rd September," he added.

Classes 6th to 8th were to resume on September 21. Pre-primary and primary classes have been scheduled to resume on September 30.

Earlier today, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said 10 educational institutions in KP and three in Sindh have been shut down for flouting the standard operating procedures laid down by the government to safeguard against the spread of COVID-19.

In the last 24 hours, 752 new coronavirus infections have been reported across the province, besides nine deaths.