LAHORE: The interprovincial meeting of education ministers headed by Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday upheld the previous decision of opening schools on Sept 15.
The federal education minister rejected the request of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister for opening schools, colleges and universities immediately. The meeting also shed light on success of online education during lockdown situation.
Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas announced that all public and private schools across the province would reopen on Sept 15 the following year.
However, he said, it was a tentative date depending on coronavirus situation in Punjab. He said all the other news regarding opening of schools were fake.
“Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for opening schools are in place which will be conveyed to everyone,” he said.
Hence, the Punjab government has decided to uphold the decision taken by a meeting of interprovincial education ministers, contrary to demand of private schools association. The All Pakistan Private Schools Association wanted to open schools from mid-August.
Also Read: Educational institutes to reopen from Sept 15: Shafqat Mahmood
On Jul 9, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood had said that the centre in consultation with the provincial governments had decided to reopen educational institutes from Sept 15 this year.
Educational activities at institutes were suspended immediately after spread of coronavirus in Pakistan in a bid to contain the viral infection.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Shafqat Mahmood had said provinces could devise a separate standard operating procedures for educational institutes, which should be first practiced by their managements along with teachers.
