ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education on Tuesday said examinations would be held as per schedule in all the provinces except Sindh.

“Vaccination of school staff is also required. Five percent additional marks would be given in compulsory subject exams,” the education minister said while addressing media in Islamabad.

He said the next meeting of inter-provincial education ministers would be held on August 5.

“We are trying our best to take care of health and education of children. Vaccination has been made mandatory in educational institutes across the country till August 31. All the public and private schools will be allowed to call 50 percent students in a day,” he said.

Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Tuesday said educational institutions in Sindh will remain completely closed till August 8.

“The situation of coronavirus in Sindh and especially in Karachi is still unsatisfactory. It will further be reviewed after August 8,” the education minister said in a statement.

When the situation would improve, the remaining examinations of Intermediate second year would be completed right away, he maintained.

Saeed Ghani said the number of patients in Sindh and especially in Karachi and Hyderabad was much higher than other provinces of the country and considering this situation the government was not in a position to open educational institutions at the moment.

He said future course of action would be decided in the Coronavirus Task Force meeting on August 8 after viewing the situation.

Forty-six more deaths due to Coronavirus and 4,722 new positive cases of the infection have been reported in the country. According to the National Command and Operation Centre, 57,398 tests were conducted while positivity ratio remained 8.2 percent.

The number of total deaths due to the Coronavirus pandemic has reached 23,575.

Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas said that teachers, administration and other staff would not be allowed to enter schools without vaccination after August 22.