Shafqat Mahmood Announces Final Decision About the Closure Of Educational Institutes

The federal minister for education and professional training, Shafqat Mahmood has announced the final decision about the closure of the educational institutes. The meeting of the national command and operation Centre was held on 6th April 2021 to review the situation of the COVID-19 and to take further decisions. According to the decision made by the government, the classes of grades one to eight will remain suspended till 28th April 2021. However, the classes of the grade 9 to 12 will be resumed from 19th April 2021. It has been directed that there will be strict implementation of SOPs in the educational institutes and the physical classes will be resumed in a staggered manner to ensure the safety of the students. The minister said that till the reopening of the educational institutes the students have to attend online classes for the completion of their coursework. The physical classes will not be allowed due to the rapid upsurge in the number of coronavirus cases. 

The decision was taken after taking the recommendations of the provincial education ministers and health ministers in the meeting of NCOC. The next session of the national command and operation Centre will be held on 28th April 2021 to analyze the situation of the coronavirus. After the emergence of the pandemic in March, the educational institutes have been remained closed for an extended time period. The minister also said that all the provincial governments have the right to take the decision according to the COVID-19 situation in their respective areas. The universities will also remain closed till 28th April and they have been notified to postpone the entrance exams for admission. 

The education minister added that the annual exams of the matric and intermediate will be conducted in the last week of May from 24th May 2021 and it is informed to the candidates that exams will not be canceled. Moreover, O and A level exams will be conducted according to the issued schedule from 10th May 2021. The minister ensured that during the exams the authorities will follow the preventative measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The minister notified the candidates to be prepared for the upcoming board examinations. He clarified that the students will not be promoted to the next class without appearing in the annual board exams.