Shafqat Mehmood surprised over students' negative reaction to schools reopening

• Shafqat Mehmood asserts that education is the gateway to future
• Everyone should welcome the opportunity to study, says minister
• Govt has announced to reopen educational institutions in phases

Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood expressed surprise after seeing the "negative reaction" of some students to the reopening of schools, colleges and universities. 

The government announced earlier today that all educational institutions will be reopened in a phased manner from this month. 

Taking to Twitter, the education minister said on Monday: "It surprises me when I see the negative reaction of some students to school/college/Universities reopening."

"Education is a gateway to the future. Also, Education years are also the best time of ones life," Shafqat Mehmood said.

Read more: Shafqat Mehmood memes storm social media

The education minister asserted that everyone should welcome the opportunity to study and be among friends.

Govt announces reopening of schools in three phases

Earlier in the day, Mehmood announced that schools and educational institutions will reopen across the country in three phases.

"On January 18, classes for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 — those that have exams — will resume," he had said during a news conference along with SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan. "This means that students of grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 will go to their schools and colleges from January 18 and their studies will resume."

Read more: Govt decides to reopen schools in phases

The minister had said that in the second phase, students of primary classes till grade 8 will return to schools from January 25.

Mehmood had said that universities and other higher education institutions will reopen from February 1 in the third and last phase.

Reopening schedule:

• Online learning can resume from Jan 11
• Classes 9 to 12 would start from Jan 18
• Classes 1 to 8 would start from Jan 25
• Higher education classes at universities and colleges to start from Feb 1
• Board exams have been postponed to May and June
• Another meeting on January 14 to review the situation