Govt decides to open universities from today

PESHAWAR: In pursuance of the decision of the Task Force on COVID-19, the government has decided to open all the public and private universities, medical and dental colleges, nursing schools/-colleges, paramedical/allied health sciences schools and colleges from May 27 (today) with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).

However, it was stated in a notification that only the students of 3rd year, 4th year of BDS and 3rd year, 4th year and final year MBBS would be allowed to attend the classes on-campus strictly as per SOPs. The government has asked the vice-chancellors, deans and principals to ensure arrangements for vaccination of all the students.

The college and hospital administration were made responsible to ensure strict implementation of SOPs during classes. There will, however, be no sports/cultural and other events in the public and private medical and dental colleges, nursing and paramedical schools and colleges till further order due to the corona pandemic.

The government has asked the vice-chancellor of Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar to ensure implementation of instructions by all the affiliated private sector medical and dental colleges and other affiliated institutions.

It is worth mentioning here that principal of Northwest School of Medicine, Prof Nurul Iman has recently asked the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to take measures for reopening medical and dental colleges so that the students could learn from the pandemic. In a letter, Prof Dr Nurul Iman, had mentioned that medical institutions were closed in Khyber Pakhtun-khwa in the light of instructions from the NCOC, Higher Education Department and Khyber Medical University.

He had also brought it into the knowledge of authorities that the online teaching was taking place as per the policy in vogue, adding that online teaching could never be a proper alternative medium to physical classes.