Murad Raas announces to shut Punjab schools amid COVID surge

LAHORE: Punjab government on Friday announced the closure of public and private schools in the province amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the province, ARY NEWS reported.

The announcement was made by Punjab school education minister Murad Raas through his Twitter handle. He said that all public and private schools of Punjab would be closed from September 6th to September 11th, 2021 due to COVID-19 conditions.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
All Public & Private Schools of Punjab to be closed from September 6th to September 11th, 2021 due COVID 19 conditions. Please stay home and stay safe. Protect yourself and your families.

— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) September 3, 2021

“Please stay home and stay safe. Protect yourself and your families,” Murad Raas said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the educational institutes across Punjab province reopened after the summer vacation on August 02.

Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas had rejected extension in summer vacations in the wake of COVID-19 and announced the reopening of all public and private schools in the province from August 2.

The school staff and administrations were strictly advised to ensure the implementation of the COVID-19-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) to contain the COVID-19 Delta variant.

The entry of teachers and other staff was banned in the schools without a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, while only 50 percent of the students are allowed to attend the schools in a bid to ensure social distancing.

An inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference that was chaired by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood had decided to not extend the summer vacations of educational institutions and have been instructed to open from August 2, Monday.