Minister orders action against open schools

Tells officials to cancel registration of any edu institution reopening in defiance of govt

The registration of private schools that had reopened across the province in defiance of government orders should be cancelled immediately and the relevant deputy commissioners should take strict action against their management, stated Sindh Education and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani on Monday.

Presiding over a Sindh Education Department meeting, Ghani said the final decision to reopen educational institutions would be taken at the National Command Operation Centre meeting on September 15.

"We want the federal education minister and all the provincial education ministers to meet on September 7 so that we have all preparations [to reopen schools] in place," he stated, adding, "The decision to close educational institutions was a difficult one, but time has proved that this was the correct decision."

The minister further said that all resources should be utilised to ensure the complete implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to curb any resurgence of Covid-19 in all educational institutions.

"We have to focus on reopening educational institutions on September 15 and ensure the completion of all precautionary measures, including disinfectant spraying, before that date," he insisted.

Discussing the reopening of some schools in the province, he stated that nobody would be allowed to play with the lives of children, adding that stern action would be taken against those who challenged the writ of the government. He told the education secretary and private schools director-general to cancel the registration of any private school that had opened.

Later, meeting United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Sindh chief Cristina Brugiolo, Ghani said the Sindh government had issued SOPs to all private and public educational institutions, directing them to ensure their implementation.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2020.