UoB, 10 schools closed after Covid cases emerged

The University of Balochistan and 10 government schools were closed after 67 positive cases of the coronavirus pandemic detected in teachers and students at various educational institutions of Quetta, Gwadar, Chaman and other districts of the province.

The provincial health department conducted random tests of 950 teachers, non-teaching staff and students from September 7 to 18 and maintained the results depicted the ratio of positive cases was 14.3 per cent. The result of 480 tests was yet to be released. 

Following the permission of phase wise reopening of educational institutes across the country after six months, many private schools in Quetta resumed educational activities from Montessori to Matric, flouting the government measures and standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a survey report, a large number of private schools in Quetta were located in small buildings in alleys where implementation on SOPs, which included maintaining social distancing, were impossible. These institutions also didn’t have facilities of infrared thermometer, to measure temperature of staff and students, masks and sanitizers.

Besides, these schools were pressurizing parents to pay eight months fee in lump sum.

Other educational institutions of Quetta charging Rs5,000 monthly fee or more instructed students to bring sanitizers and masks from home.

During the first week of the resumption of educational activities countrywide, several cases of Covid-19 have been reported and the authorities have announced to shut down or sealed the affected institutes.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sept 18 revealed 13 educational institutes were sealed in the last 24 hours for not following SOPs designed to prevent resurgence of coronavirus.

(With input from DNA)