05/09/2020
Sindh plans to open educational institutions in phases from 15th
SHAZIA HASAN
KARACHI: Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani said on Friday that the sub-committee of the steering committee for education had recommended to him that all educational institutions in the province should not be opened simultaneously on Sept 15.
Presiding over the meeting of the steering committee, he explained that the sub-committee proposed that children of higher classes should be sent to schools while children of lower classes should be sent to schools in stages.
A meeting of all provincial education ministers, to be chaired by the federal education minister, will be held on Sept 7 following which an announcement regarding the opening of educational institutions across the country will be made.
Meanwhile, the regular results of the students who have been promoted to the next level without examinations from class IX to class XII this time will be announced on Sept 15 and 30.
While the meeting discussed the reopening of educational institutions in the province, it also looked at and approved the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the departments of education and health for the purpose.
Matriculation and intermediate results to be announced on Sept 15th and 30th respectively
The sub-committee presented its report in the meeting, which said that immediately after the opening of educational institutions, instead of opening all the classes at once, it should be opened in different phases.
“If the final decision is to open the educational institution on Sept 15, then classes IX and above should be opened in the first phase and one week after that on Sept 21, classes VI to VIII be opened and one week after that, that is Sept 28, the classes from pre-primary to V should be opened so that if any cases of Covid-19 come up during this time, we can control it immediately,” the committee recommended.
The education minister said that in light of the steering committee’s decision if the opening of educational institutions was announced from Sept 15, then all private educational institutions will open too as per the schedule approved by this committee.
He said that they would recommend to the federal committee on behalf of Sindh that if any school opens before the said date, the move should be considered being against the law. However, if any school needs to open to prepare and train its staff for carrying out the SOPs after the scheduled date they will have the permission to do so.
