Balochistan govt changes policy for closure of schools

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has changed its policy for the closure of schools after months-long lockdown due to coronavirus and decided not to shut educational institutions again, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The Balochistan education authorities have decided not to close schools and colleges again in order to recover the academic loss of the students.

It has been decided to put infected persons into quarantine facilities instead of shutting down the whole institution over detection of the virus.

The education authorities issued orders for the full resumption of academic session in educational institutions across the province. Moreover, the middle schools in Balochistan admistered by local government were also reopened following the orders of the provincial government.

Read: NCOC greenlights second phase of reopening schools across Pakistan

The director of the provincial schools’ department announced that the primary section will be reopened from September 30.

Earlier in the day, secondary schools in Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir reopened today as students from classes six to eight returned to their schools after nearly six months.

In Sindh, however, classes for grade six to eight will start from September 28.

Read: Secondary classes in Sindh to begin from Sept 28: minister

According to SOPs issued by the government, masks have been made mandatory for all teachers and students, while educational institutions are required to ensure the availability of sensitizers at their entrances.

Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood had on Tuesday evening formally announced the decision to start secondary classes in schools. He, however, said that the Sindh government had decided to further review the COVID-19 situation during this week and resume on-campus classes for VI to VIII graders from September 28.

Shafqat Mahmood had said after strictly monitoring the COVID-19 situation for the next one week, the government would be able to make a decision about reopening of primary level institutions. He urged parents, students and teachers to strictly follow the SOPs to keep the virus at bay.