KP govt announces to reopen schools amid declining coronavirus cases

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to open schools in the province from September 15 after NCOC and provincial cabinet approved the decision, ARY NEWS reported on Wednesday.

According to a handout issued from the KP Elementary and Education department, besides reopening of the educational institutes, it was also decided to summon teaching and other staff in the schools from August 06.

It also directed the administrative and teaching staff to prepare for the coronavirus SOPs ahead of the reopening of the schools.

“Five staffers at a primary level and seven at a middle school are allowed at a time,” read the handout further detailing that no more than 10 staffers would be present at the secondary and higher secondary institutes.

Private schools where online classes are not underway should have less than 10 school staffers at a time, the handout read adding that 30 percent staffers at the school would be allowed during online classes.

All staffers are directed to strictly follow coronavirus SOPs, it said and warned that the educational institutes would be closed down or face hefty fines in case of non-compliance.

The decision to reopen schools was made in the context of the declining coronavirus figures in the province as only 35 fresh infection cases have been reported in the province during the last 24 hours.

According to the provincial health department, 802 patients have recovered from the virus during the duration, bringing the overall tally of recoveries to 30,057.

However, two patients died from the infection in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 1215.