Education ministry issues Covid-19 SOPs for reopening schools

Parents to be taken on boarded to set rules for resuming classes

ISLAMABAD:

In light of the probability of reopening of educational institutions by September 15, the Federal Education Ministry has issued guidelines for precautionary measures to be followed by students and school staff.

Besides assessing academic loss of children, teachers and heads of school will ensure that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) does not spread.

A circular containing these guidelines was issued by the ministry on Thursday.

The document, read by The Express Tribune, says heads of the educational institutions, including federal government (FG) schools and colleges, have been advised to complete preparations for the resumption of educational activities as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Heads of schools have also been directed to convene a meeting with management committees of their respective schools and colleges to take the community and parents on board.

Special emphasis should be laid on an individuals' responsibility and a leaflet with key instructions for parents should be prepared in consultation with the committees, it added. Further, heads have been instructed to hold a comprehensive meeting with their teachers to design strategies to assess the learning abilities of their students once they return.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2020.