Shafqat Mahmood Announces To Close Educational Institutes In Coronavirus Hotspot Areas Till 11th April

The federal minister for education and professional training has announced to close down the educational institutes in coronavirus hotspot areas till 11th April 2021. The institutes in the selected areas of Punjab such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sargodha, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan, Sheikhupura, and Islamabad will remain closed due to the upsurge in the number of coronavirus cases. The education minister has taken this decision by considering the ongoing situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting of the national command and operation center was held on 24th March 2021 to review the coronavirus situation and to decide about the reopening of the educational institutes. The meeting was chaired by the Shafqat Mahmood and attended by the provincial education ministers and health ministers. 

After the announcement of Shafqat Mahmood, the Sindh education minister has declared that the spread of the disease is relatively low in Sindh as compared to the other provinces. So after reviewing the situation it has been decided that the school, colleges, and universities will remain open across the province with 50% attendance. The candidates are advised to attend the school and follow the SOPs devised by the government. 

The federal education minister has said that the annual exams of matric and intermediate will be conducted as per schedule. Earlier the date sheet for SSC and HSSC exams 2021 had been issued by the board authorities so that the candidates can formulate the preparation strategy according to it. As per the announced schedule, the exams will be commenced in May, June, and July. Similarly, the O and A level exams are scheduled to be conducted in April and the students are demanding to postpone the exams. It has been further said that the meeting of the national command and operation center will be held again on 7th April 2021 to analyze the situation and to take a decision after consultation with the education and health ministers.