Sindh sticks to delaying classes

Assertion comes after NCOC keeps to commencing grade VI to VIII on-campus classes from today

In-classes sessions for grade-six to grade-eight students will resume from September 28 in Sindh, said Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Tuesday.

His statement came in the wake of a National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting agreeing that schools would reopen during the second phase as previously decided by the federal government, with on-campus classes for grade-six to grade-eight students commencing from today (Wednesday).

In response, Ghani issued a video statement, saying that though he was unable to attend the meeting, he had come cross media reports of the NCOC sticking to its earlier decision regarding the commencement of in-class sessions for grade-six to grade-eight students.

However, in Sindh, these sessions will begin on September 28, he asserted, adding that all private and public schools are required to reopen as decided by the provincial government.

"We made this decision a few days ago after the opening of the first phase in the province, keeping in view the ground realities," he said. "Sindh government officials visited multiple schools and colleges and reviewed the implementation of [pandemic-related] standard operating procedures during the first phase of the reopening of educational institutions, when on-campus classes for just grade-nine and grade-10 students were being conducted," he said. The minister added, "It came to our notice then that SOPs were not being followed in entirety."

In light of this, Ghani said, the provincial government decided that it was better to delay the second phase of schools' reopening and meanwhile work on bringing in place a better system for SOPs' implementation.

"We stick to our decision of delaying the on-campus classes for six to eight grades by a week, and the student of these classes will be attending in-class session on September 28, along with the students of class five and lower grades," he added.

Ghani claimed that the provincial government had been taking measures for the better implementation of SOPs.

"Children's health is the provincial government's top priority, on which it will not compromise," he remarked.

In a separate statement, the minister maintained that all educational institutions must ensure strict implementation SOPs as children's health couldn't be put at risk at any cost.

He further stated that he was still visiting different schools in the province, including those in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot, to ensure that SOPs were being followed.

On Friday, he had announced the decision to push the resumption of physical classes for grades six to eight by a week.

The decision to reopen secondary schools had been put off for a week to ensure compliance with SOPs in high schools, colleges and universities, he has said, speaking to media persons. The new date for resumption of the on-campus classes for grade-six to grade-eight students is September 28, he added.

Ghani had also warned that the government may have to order the closure of educational institutions again if a rise was observed in Covid-19 cases and pandemic-related SOPs were not followed.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2020.