Sindh asks Centre to fly Taftan pilgrims to Karachi

Ghani says province ready to bear expenses, announces exam dates for students

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Monday asked the Centre to fly pilgrims quarantined in Taftan to Karachi and move them to isolation wards.

At a press conference following a meeting of the education steering committee, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said the provincial government was ready to bear all expenses for this.

The minister said that 800 people had left the quarantine facility in Taftan but only 300 pilgrims had arrived in Sukkur so far. The number, he said, could surpass 900.

The press conference came the same day as the Sindh health department confirmed 115 new COVID-19 cases.

Academic year

Ghani dismissed rumours about promoting students without examinations and listed the new dates for the academic year.

"The new academic year will begin June 1," he told reporters. "The exams for grade one to eight will be held between June 1 and 15. The students will be promoted after the results."

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For grade nine and 10, the exams will be held between June 15 to 30 and the results will be announced on August 15. For grade 11 and 12, the exams will start July 6 onwards while results will be announced on September 15. The classes, however, will begin August 1, while the enrollment will be based on the results of grade 9. Failed candidates would be annulled.

The Sindh education department will help boards with marking of the examination papers.

When asked about the summer school fees, Ghani cited court orders and explained that the schools have to pay their employees during the summer vacations. However, he asserted that there would be no advance fees and urged parents to pay on a monthly basis.

Defending the Sindh government's decision to shut down educational institutions till May 31 against the federal and other provincial governments' decision to close schools till April 5, Ghani said the outbreak was likely to worsen, pointing out that the coronavirus was now locally transmitted.

"We made the decision after much deliberation," he said, adding that the provincial government didn't want any confusion in notifying and de-notifying holidays.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2020.