ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has issued directives to immediately close O and A-Level classes, as well as regular academic sessions from Grade 9 to Grade 12 in private schools due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, ARY News reported on Sunday.
The NCOC ordered the closure of educational institutions in view of another spike in COVID-19 cases across the country. The centre directed the educational institutions to suspend physical classes of Class 9, 10, 11, 12, O and A-Level. It has allowed the institutions to continue online classes for the students.
The NCOC ordered all private schools to strictly follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19 during O and A-Level examinations. Moreover, three to five members will be allowed in private schools from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
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As the country fights off with all its might the third wave of the global pandemic which is increasingly concerning the governments with mutated variants and increased infection incidence, the higher education authorities in Punjab had Saturday shut down colleges in at least 25 districts across the province.
With the deteriorating infection situation into the third wave of the pandemic, the department had decided to completely shut down all colleges falling in the remits of at least 25 districts.
The notification had released to that effect said today the classes from 9 to 12 grades will be completely shut down in the mentioned districts with an immediate effect and indefinitely. Which means there will be no classes and exceptions at all.
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The decision was taken for the districts with the rate of covid infection above 5 per cent, the notification read.
Districts including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Okara, Kasur, Toba Tek Singh, will have all its schools and colleges shut down until further orders, according to the notification.
It is pertinent to mention here that the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting headed by Asad Umar had hinted at lockdown in high-risk cities if the COVID-19 situation further worsens.
