Saeed Ghani sides with schools over fee collection during COVID-19 closure

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Education Saeed Ghani on Saturday sided with the schools’ administration over receiving fees from parents amid closure during COVID-19 pandemic, ARY NEWS reported.

While giving justification for his support extended to schools, the education minister asked as to from where schools would pay the salaries of teachers, if they would not collect the fee.

“Being an education minister, I was not in favour of closing schools,” he said adding that provincial education ministers during a meeting headed by Shafqat Mahmood had a varying opinion on the vacation issue, however, the decision was later taken with consensus.

He said that the COVID-19 situation is different from the previous wave and threw his weight behind the suggestion that some schools could be reopened.

Commenting on the education system in the province, Saeed Ghani said that it was worst even before he assumed the charge of his post.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government announced the closure of all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.

“It has been 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,” said Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood.

“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 situation. The situation will be reviewed in the first week of January 2021.”