Punjab education minister assures parents of strict compliance of COVID-19 SOPs in schools

• Punjab education minister urges parents to send their children to school
• COVID-19 SOPs will be strictly followed at educational institutes, says Murad Raas
• First phase of schools' reopening from Jan 18

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas on Wednesday assured parents that the government will ensure stricter compliance of coronavirus SOPs at educational institutes than before and urged them to send their children to school.

The federal government had earlier announced a phase-wise plan to reopen educational institutes from January 18 which were closed on November 26 to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Murad Raas, in a video message, said: “We are reopening schools from January 18 and in the first phase, students of high school will resume classes. In the second phase, the students of primary and elementary schools will resume in-person learning while universities will start classes from Feb 1.”

Read more: Shafqat Mehmood surprised over students' negative reaction to schools reopening

The provincial minister said no other sector has shown more discipline than schools in implementing COVID-19 SOPs and told the parents that the government remained vigilant on this throughout the period when educational institutes were opened previously.

Read more: Punjab govt issues school reopening schedule

"I request parents to send their kids to schools. The corona SOPs will be followed more strictly than before and we are making the best arrangements for the safety of the children,” he added.

On January 4, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said that the government will make no compromise on children's health and another meeting will be held to review the latest coronavirus situation in the country.