Winter break unlikely for students in Sindh

Education department says matter to be further discussed at next NCOC meeting

Dismissing calls to close schools as coronavirus cases rapidly rise, the Sindh education department announced on Tuesday that there will likely be no winter break for educational institutions in the province this year.

The education department maintained that enough losses had been incurred with the suspension of physical classes and the academic year could be disrupted no more. The federal government had also announced earlier in September that classes would be held on Saturdays and no winter break would be given.

Given the second wave of the coronavirus, however, the National Command and Operation Centre had recommended last week an early and extended winter break for educational institutions but a review meeting of the federal and provincial ministers held on Monday deferred the matter for discussion at their next meeting on November 23.

The Sindh education department also maintained on Wednesday that the matter will be considered at the meeting next week but for the time being it is unlikely that there will be any winter break, let alone an extended one.

These statements were reitearted by Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani while he was talking to the media.

Calls for closure

When the decision to keep schools open was announced by the education ministers on Monday, it received criticism from parents who raised concerns over the increasing numbers of coronavirus infections reported in schools and campuses.

The decision made by the education ministers to keep schools open for the time-being is 'absolutely wrong', said Students Parents Federation of Pakistan chairperson Nadeem Mirza, adding that the lives of students and teachers should not be put at risk.

In a video statement, he claimed the ministers had been put under pressure by private schools, which preferred to collect fees from students. He appealed to the NCOC to immediately announce the closure of educational institutions.

On the other hand, All Sindh Private Schools and Colleges Association chairperson Haider Ali backed the decision of keeping educational institutions open, stating that one academic year had already been affected and they could not afford to lose another year.

Meanwhile, as the second Covid-19 wave grips the country, doctors, health experts and officials working in public and private health facilities have raised alarm over the purported non-seriousness of the government with regards to implementing pandemic-related standard operating procedures (SOPs).

In campuses

Since educational activity resumed in campuses, several institutes have been sealed, due to SOP violations or because coronavirus cases were detected, and then reopened. At least 1,317 infections have been confirmed among staff and faculty employed in schools and varsities across the province while the test results of thousands others are yet awaited.

Most recently, the Government Boys Degree College in Tando Muhammad Khan was shut for the third day on Monday after eight - four employees and four students - tested positive for the deadly virus. According to a letter sent to the principal by the district health officer, the college had been directed to remain shut for three days.

Whereas, the authorities at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, decided to continue academic activities in all campuses despite seven of the varsity's employees testing positive for the virus. The varsity spokesperson said that all offices of the administration block were disinfected and instructions to implement SOPs were given.

Schools were permitted to open in September with directives that all students will be in masks and frequent use of hand sanitisers, disinfectants would be ensured among other things.

*With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2020.