Schools not being closed due to smog issue: Shafqat Mahmood

ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Saturday that the government is not going to close schools due to smog issues, ARY News reported.

Shafqat Mahmood said that the closure of schools has already badly affected academic activities. He said that the education authorities have decided to conduct all examinations with a full syllabus and as per schedule.

The National College of Arts will further develop after getting a new status. The federal minister said that there is a need to open more art colleges.

He added that the government will fulfil the requirements of the higher education institutions and a record budget was allocated for the Higher Education Commission (HEC) by the present government.

He added that the universities will have to improve their financial discipline.

READ: SHAFQAT MAHMOOD ANNOUNCES 50,000 HEC SCHOLARSHIPS UNDER EHSAAS PROGRAM

On Thursday, Shafqat Mahmood had announced that the examinations will be held in May- June under the full syllabus, as well as the schedule of examinations for O and A level will be followed.

Shafqat Mahmood had announced the education-related decisions taken by the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference (IPEMC) held in Karachi. He had said that the federal authorities wanted the timely examinations and admissions from the provinces.

He had said that IPEMC also held discussions over the new procedures of examination envisaged by the federal board. The minister had said that they are making efforts to design a combined academic calendar.