Sindh delays classes for Grades VI to VIII

The Sindh education department has decided to delay the resumption of physical classes for Grades VI to VIII after violations of standard operating procedures (SOPS) were flagged. Coronavirus infections have also been detected in educational institutes since on-campus classes resumed for the higher grades on September 15.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani announced the decision to push the resumption of physical classes for grades six to eight by a week. Initially slated to resume on September 22, after a six-month closure, they will now resume on September 28 along with primary school classes.

"Despite our efforts, we are seeing a lot of flaws and violations. Unfortunately, educational institutions, both private and public, are not fully implementing SOPs," said Ghani.

Institutes will be allowed to continue physical classes for Grades IX and above for now but the minister said his department was concerned about the current situation and would inform the federal education minister and all provincial education ministers of the Sindh government's decision to delay classes.

The situation will be reevaluated before resuming classes on September 28, said the minister, adding that the decision to resume classes in phases was taken so that there would be fewer students on campus at a time. "And so that we would have a practical experience regarding implementation of the formulated SOPs," he added.

According to the minister, the provincial government was cognisant of the economic situation of private educational institutes and was also concerned about children's education but could not compromise on their health.

Assuring that every effort would be made to ensure the implementation of SOPs, he apprised that his department had also begun free Covid-19 testing at public and private schools and thus far, a 2.4 per cent positivity rate had been detected.

He stressed the need for parents to also cooperate and ensure implementation of the guidelines issued for schools' reopening.

Referring to his inspection of primary and public schools, Ghani said that while many private schools had made excellent arrangements for the implementation of SOPs, violations were observed in other public and private schools and colleges.

Although government schools only allowed the older students back on campus, some private schools had resumed physical classes for the primary grades as well and four such schools were sealed because of this on Thursday, he added.

'Cause for concern'

The Sindh education department has begun conducting random tests at private and public schools of teaching and non-teaching staff, said Ghani.

Between September 12 to 17, 14,544 tests were conducted, said Ghani. Out of these, the results of 3,636 tests have been received and 89 Covid-19 infections were detected while 3,547 tests came back negative, according to the minister. The results of the remaining tests are yet to be received.

Assuming the current 2.4 per cent positivity rate, there could be 360 positive cases among 15,000 tests, said Ghani, dubbing this a cause of concern because younger classes were yet to return to schools.

He maintained that for now, classes for the junior grades had been delayed till September 28, but if the situation did not improve, the provincial government may revisit its decision and further changes may be announced.

From the positive cases, 33 were detected in Karachi - nine at Jinnah Sindh Medical University, nine at the Institute of Business Administration, three at the Narayan Jagannath Vaidya Government Higher Secondary School (NJV School), three at World Academy School, three at ARP School, two at Public Health School, two at GGST School, and one case each at Sacred Heart School and the Government Boys and Girls Secondary School.

Besides, the report adds, 34 coronavirus cases were detected at educational institutes in Jamshoro, eight in Matiari district, six each in Khairpur and Tharparkar, and two in Hyderabad.

Coronavirus cases appear to be on the rise in Pakistan again, with its highest single-day tally in a month recorded on Thursday as the country reported 700 cases. The federal government has thus far indicated no change in the schedule announced earlier for reopening of educational institutes.