Shafqat Mehmood wishes luck to students of 9 to 12, O and A levels as they resume school today

• Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood sends best wishes to students of class 9 to 12 as well as O and A level students as they resume classes
  
• Says students' future is the government's top priority 
• Minister had held a high-level meeting with the NCOC on Friday to take important decisions regarding the reopening of schools

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood on late Sunday evening took to his Twitter account and sent his best wishes to students of class 9 to 12, as well as O and A level students, who are starting school today (Monday).

"Tomorrow classes 9 to 12, O and A level go back to school/ college. Wish them the very best," the minister wrote. 

"Their future is our main priority."

On Friday, January 16, the minister had held a high-level meeting at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to review the decision to reopen educational institutions amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. 

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

During the meeting, it was decided that classes will start for students of grades nine to 12 from January 18 as decided earlier.

Unlike the previous year, the federal and provincial governments also decided that students will not be promoted without exams.

A one-week extension was granted to start the classes for students of grades 1-8. They were earlier supposed to start by January 25.

It was decided that primary schools will reopen from February 1, while higher education institutes will also reopen from February 1 as decided earlier.

The NCOC will re-evaluate data in a week and decide whether primary schools and higher education institutes will reopen on February 1 in cities where infections rates are high.

The minister also decided in the meeting that if the infection rate is high in a particular city, educational institutes may not reopen there. 

Read more: Schools to reopen for students of classes 9-12 from January 18: Shafqat Mehmood