Schools to reopen in phases from Sept 15

Classes to be held on Saturdays as well, no winter vacations for students

The Sindh government has decided to reopen educational institutions in phases from September 15, announced Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Friday.

He said this during a press conference, after presiding over an education department meeting, where the decision was taken.

Elaborating further, the education minister said that on-campus classes for grade-nine to varsity students would be commenced in the first phase from September 15, for grade-eight to grade-six students from September 22 in the second phase and lower grades from September 28, in the third phase.

Ghani said that in order to ensure the completion of syllabi, school classes would also be held on Saturdays in the coming academic year, starting from September 15, 2020 and ending on May 3, 2021, no winter holidays would be given and summer vacations in 2021 would extend to just a month, as opposed to normally two-month-long holidays.

Moreover, the curricula of all classes have been cut short, he added.

The minister said that following the completion of the academic year, annual examination for grade nine and grade 10 would be held from April 7, 2021 to April 17, 2021, and for grade 11 and grade12 from May 18, 2021 to May 29, 2021.

Responding to a question, he said a report had been prepared regarding schools that had been converted into relief camps after rains and floods, and would not be reopened immediately.

Tuition fee

According to Ghani, in the coming academic year, private schools would only be allowed to increase tuition fees by five per cent, in line with Supreme Court orders.

"No private school will be allowed to charge any additional fee on the pretext of Covid-19," he clarified.

Compliance with SOPs

He further stated that committees had been formed at district and provincial levels to monitor the implementation of pandemic-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) at public and private schools.

All relevant officials have been instructed to ensure the proper implementation of SOPs at educational institutions and monitor the arrangements made in this regard before September 15, the education minister said.

"Any student not wearing a mask is not to be allowed entry in the school," he stated, adding, "We must remember that Covid-19 has not been eradicated and there is a possibility of its resurgence."

Keeping in view this concern, taking precautions is necessary, Ghani went on, urging parents and teachers to play their role in ensuring that there was not another outbreak.

"I want to make it clear that any parent not satisfied with precautionary arrangements at schools may not send their children for in-class sessions and the students may then take classes online," he said.

According to him, the education department, in collaboration with Microsoft, has created the IDs of 500,000 students of class six to 12 for the purpose, besides registering 2,262 schools and training 20,997 teachers for conducting online classes.

The provincial minister also announced the launch of a campaign to raise awareness about precautionary measures through electronic and print media.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2020.