Covid-19: Shafqat Mahmood hints at extending school holidays

ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Shafqat Mahmood said on Sunday that reopening of educational institutions from January 11, 2021, seems to be difficult due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country, ARY News reported.

Talking exclusively to ARY News program ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, the education minister said that decision on reopening of educational institutions will be taken on the basis of health advisory keeping in view the prevailing coronavirus situation across the country.

“In the current Covid situation, it is difficult to reopen educational institutions from January 11, said Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

He further said a meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers will be held via video-link tomorrow to discuss the prevailing situation of the second wave of Covid-19 and reopening of educational institutions.

The minister clearly stated that this year no student would be promoted to the next grade without examinations. “Exams will take place at any cost this year,” added Mahmood.

It is pertinent to mention here that a meeting of the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers will be held tomorrow (Monday) via video link with Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood in the chair.

The forum will discuss the prevailing situation of the second wave of Covid-19 and the reopening of educational institutions across the country. It will also deliberate upon the beginning of new academic session from August and reduction of spring and summer vacations.

The agenda of the meeting have a proposal to reopen educational institutions across the country in three phases starting from January 25 and to conduct board examinations from the last week of May.