Middle, primary schools to reopen on Monday: Ghani

Schools across the province will be open for middle, primary and pre-primary schools from Monday, reiterated Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Friday, addressing a press conference in the Sindh Assembly building.

Classes for only grades VI to VIII had been postponed by his department for a week, clarified the minister. All educational activity across grades will resume in the province beginning next week, he said.

Students of grades IX and above have already resumed physical classes earlier this month, while middle school students in other provinces have also begun attending on-campus classes.

Ghani stressed coronavirus-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) and precautionary measures once again, warning that strict action would be taken against all private and public educational institutions who failed to implement such measures. Institutions were also advised to spend to time discussing the SOPs and ensuring awareness on the pandemic for a few minutes in each class.

He appealed to parents to ensure their children comply with these measures as well.

No parent, however, is under pressure to send their child to campus if they feel unsafe in the current situation, according to the provincial minister. Nor is any school compelled to resume activity on campus if they are not prepared.

If SOP violations are found schools may fined, have their registration revoked or have FIRs lodged against them, according to Ghani. "We have left it up to the educational institutions to increase children's classes at their campuses, make shifts or invite children in one-day shifts."

Referring to the Sindh health minister's comments, he said he shared her concerns about the rising number of Covid-19 cases and had set up a task force for this purpose, subsequently reaching the decision to reopen schools.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2020.