Sindh makes announcement for schools reopening, examinations schedule

KARACHI: The Sindh government has made major announcements for the reopening of schools and examination schedules for the matriculation and intermediate students, ARY News reported on Saturday.

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani announced that all schools will be reopened from February 1 across the province and the new academic year will begin from August 2.

The provincial minister made the announcement after chairing a session of the Sindh Education Department’s steering committee which deliberated upon the reopening of schools and universities after months-long closure of educational institutions amid the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Saeed Ghani said that schools will be reopened from February 1 and examinations of 9th and 10th classes (matriculation) will be started from July 1. The exams of intermediate students, 11th and 12th classes, will be commenced from July 28. He added that standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19 will be strictly followed during the examinations.

“All educational boards will prepare the examination results within 90 days. Summer vacations will be observed for one month in July.”

“We had earlier reduced the syllabus for the academic year up to 40 per cent, however, the schools were closed again. It is now difficult to complete the remaining 60 per cent course. The committee has decided to conduct examinations of matric students from July 1 to July 15, whereas, the results will be released till September 15.”

Ghani said that practicals will be organised in schools and colleges while the administration of the educational centres will send the results to the concerned boards.

“The examinations of 11th and 12th graders (intermediate) will be started from July 28 and the results will be announced on October 15. However, no student will be promoted without examinations this year.”

“The committee has approved the recommendations to reduce the time duration of examination papers from three to two hours besides increasing the objective section. Objective section is increased up to 60 per cent from 40 per cent; short questions’ section was reduced to 20 per cent from 40 per cent and detailed questions’ section was also reduced to 20 per cent from 40 pc.”

“The new academic year will begin from August 2 in Sindh. Universities and medical colleges will not be allowed to start admissions before October 15 this year.”

Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Education and National History and Literary Heritage, Shafqat Mahmood has reiterated that primary classes and universities will be reopened from February 1.

Speaking to journalists in Sukkur, Shafqat Mahmood ruled out further delay in reopening of primary schools and universities and added that corona outbreak has already cost huge loss to the students’ studies.