Schools reopening decision on Monday

Islamabad: Amid growing calls for the resumption of in-person learning in educational institutions, representatives of the federal and provincial governments will sit together next Monday (January 4) here to decide about the reopening of schools, colleges, and universities.

The educational institutions have been closed across the country as part of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus. They’re scheduled to reopen on January 11 after the ongoing winter break.

The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference, which had decided to close schools, colleges, and universities from November 26 for in-person classes, will meet on January 4 to review the pandemic situation in the country and make a decision about the reopening of educational institutions.

According to the federal education ministry, the meeting will be chaired by Federal Minister for FE&PT Shafqat Mehmood, while the other ministers will attend it by video link.

The participants will examine health updates on respective provinces/regions by the national health services ministry, discussion on the reopening of educational institutions, school and education board exams slated to be held in May-June 2021, reduction in spring and summer vacation, the start of the 2021-22 academic session, implementation status of the Council of Common Interest’s decision on the transfer of the existing NCHD and BECS schools, and the proposed national education policy.

Meanwhile, the education minister said he held a meeting with members of the Rawalpindi/Islamabad private schools association.

“They [visitors] are obviously concerned about schools closure. I told them that I am equally concerned. [I] Hope infection rates go down so that we can open all educational institutions,” he said in a tweet.