SOPs for reopening schools to be set in coming days, says Ghani

Provincial minister says formal decision to be announced after federal committee's Sept 7 meeting

KARACHI:

Sindh Education and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said on Tuesday that standard operating procedures (SOPs), regarding reopening educational institutions will be finalised in the next two, three days.

He said the steering committee of the health department will be consulted before any decision is taken.

While presiding over a meeting of the education department, the provincial minister reviewed issues including finalisation of SOPs for opening schools across the province, and suggestions of the provincial health department regarding the matter.

The forum also held a detailed discussion on measures to improve the education department, upgrade schools and recruit new teachers, among other issues.

The provincial minister directed for a report regarding a post-Covid-19 academic year, and syllabus for upcoming examinations to be prepared soon.

Ghani added that the ministry was well of the extraordinary affects the closure of educational institutions due to the outbreak of coronavirus has had on the school year, but no risks could be taken on children's health.

“The federal committee constituted to decide upon reopening of educational institutions will be held on September 7," he said adding, that only after that meeting will a formal announcement be made concerning reopening of educational institutions across the country.

Earlier in August, a conference of education ministers reiterated that educational institutions across the country would reopen on September 15, putting at rest rumours of early openings.

On August 27, Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood maintained at a meeting of the National Command and Control Centre that a final decision regarding reopening schools will be taken on September 7.

He reiterated the same on August 31, stating that the federal government has summoned a session with all provincial education ministers on September 7 to take a final decision on the resumption of in-classroom academic sessions.

He said the government will review the situation surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country and whether it is safe to reopen schools for regular classes.