Schools may be allowed to reopen from Jan 25: report
It has been proposed to reopen schools in phases; the final decision would be made in Monday's meeting
January 02, 2021
- Educational institutions to be reopened in three phases
- Primary schools to reopen from January 25
- Federal, provincial education ministers to meet on Monday
KARACHI: The upcoming meeting of education ministers is expected to mull reopening of educational institutions in three phases, Daily Jang reported on Saturday.
The federal government, on the recommendation of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), had closed educational institutions from November 26, 2020 to January 10, 2021.
Under that plan, schools were to reopen on January 11. But the rising spread of the novel coronavirus across the country has cast a shadow on that decision with federal and provincial education ministers saying that it was "unlikely" educational institutions would be allowed to reopen.
Read what the federal education minister has to say about school reopening
The matter would be reviewed at a meeting of the education ministers, chaired by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, on January 4 to discuss the national education policy. The final decision would be taken after advice from the health ministry on the matter.
Jang reported on Saturday that the education ministers would deliberate reopening educational institutions in phases. In the first phase, the primary level students would head back to school on January 25. The second phase would see middle schools reopening by February 4 and the higher education institutions would start by February 15 in the third phase.
The publication said it has been proposed to delay school and board examinations till last week of May or early June. The summer vacations would be shortened with the new academic year beginning in August.
It may be noted here that although education is a provincial matter, under the 18th Amendment, the provinces adopted Centre's policy owing to a Supreme Court decision directing for a uniformed policy to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
It may be added here that private schools associations across the country have opposed keeping schools shut.
On Thursday, a private school council demanded the government reopen schools on January 11 as planned and also sought an economic relief package. "The government should suspend the registration fee and taxes for a year."
