Govt to ensure schools follow SOPs
Kindergarten children wear facemasks as they play within their designated zones in a classroom after pre-primary and primary schools reopened on Wednesday. PHOTO: ONLINE
Government will ensure that schools implement anti-coronavirus SOPs for the health and wellbeing of children, said Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood on Wednesday.
“All schools have opened, now it is the responsibility of schools to implement the SOPs for the prevention of the spread of novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the government will ensure that educational institutions follow the prescribed procedures,” he said.
The attendance of students shows that the parents were satisfied with the policy of government for reopening of schools under strict Covid-19 SOPs. He expressed these views during a visit to the various public and private sector schools of Islamabad Capital Territory along with Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Director General Zia Batool to review the anti Covid-19 arrangements.
He also informed that the children of early classes were following the SOPs. He assured the parents that the government will take care of their children in schools. DG Batool said that anti coronavirus SOPs issued by government were being observed strictly in all schools of the federal capital. She said that FDE will not compromise on children's health. She also informed that special directions had been issued to complete the children's syllabus timely. "Our teachers were making all out efforts to minimize the educational loss of students due to pandemic" she added. She assured for making surprise visits to schools to check implementation on SOPs.
More Covid-19 cases reported
New cases of coronavirus infections continue to rise in Islamabad. On Wednesday, 62 more new cases of Covid-19 came to light, according to the daily report of District Health Office Islamabad. The new patients include 32 men and 30 women. According to the report, the number of people infected with Corona in Islamabad has reached 16,594 out of which 15,870 have recovered while 181 have died. According to DHO, there are currently 481 active cases of coronavirus infection in Islamabad.
Jhelum schools demand 4 months fees
Parents in Jhelum were given a mountain to climb on Wednesday when schools handed them challans demanding fees equivalent to four months to be paid in a single instalment.
As primary classes in public and private schools reopened in Jhelum, along with the rest of the country, on Wednesday, many private schools in the district handed parents a fees challan with fees equivalent to four months - the period for which schools were closed but online classes were held.
Parents said that it was already difficult for them to pay school fees during the lockdown enforced to curb the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) from spreading, while they also had to spend money to buy books, uniforms and stationery for their children this month as schools reopened.
WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM RAJA NAUBAHAR IN JHELUM
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2020.