Punjab education minister seeks ban on entry of children in shopping malls

LAHORE: After the government announced the closure of all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24, the Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas on Tuesday recommended banning the entry of children to shopping malls and supermarkets, ARY News reported.

“Closure of educational institutions will not help in controlling the Covid-19 infections,” the minister said in a statement and recommend the authorities to impose a ban on the entry of children in shopping malls too in order to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The federal government had announced the closure of all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Shafqat Mahmood, while addressing an important press conference alongside Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, said that the government will have to take such steps to immediately stop the virus spread.

“It has decided to close all educational institutions across Pakistan from November 26 till December 24. Winter vacations will be started from December 25 to January 10. Children will continue their academic activities from their homes as all academic sessions will be continued using the online medium.”

ANNOUNCEMENT:
All Public & Private Schools including Academies & Tuition Centers to close on 26th November 2020. All of the stated above to reopen on January 11th, 2021. Further all the details will be shared very soon InshAllah.

— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) November 23, 2020

“The provincial governments will decide on the online academic sessions and homework for the students. We are hoping for reopening the educational institutions from January 11 after witnessing improvements in the pandemic’s situation. The situation will be reviewed in the first week of January 2021,” he said.