From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday said it was “unlikely” for schools to be allowed to resume classes from mid-January as was announced by the federal government when it closed down educational institutional countrywide last month.
The government in November announced a nationwide closure of schools and postponed examinations to curtail rising coronavirus infections and a surge in new virus-related hospitalisations. Students, including those at higher educational institutions as well as in private schools, were expected to continue classes through distance learning until December 24, when schools are scheduled to go on winter break until January 11.
“Keeping in view the ongoing second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, it is unlikely that education institutes would be reopened in January 2020,” Saeed Ghani, provincial minister for education, said while addressing a press conference in Karachi.
However, he said, unlike the last term in the first wave of the pandemic, students won’t be promoted to new grades without sitting for exams. Pakistan first closed educational institutions between March and September to combat the spread of the virus. State television and radio stations were used to broadcast lessons at home for students in government schools.
The minister’s statement comes as the provincial tally reached 206,489 cases, of which 32,139 infections were recorded in just the last 22 days. Around 444 people have died in the province since the start of December.
Pakistan recorded 2,142 new coronavirus cases countrywide and 83 deaths over the last 24 hours as a second wave of the epidemic has gathered momentum, data released by National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) Wednesday showed. Prime Minister Imran Khan has ruled out a wide-ranging lockdown, opting to close down non-essential public gatherings in a bid to keep the economy afloat through the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that 40 more patients of coronavirus died overnight lifting the death toll to 3,419 while 918 new cases emerged against 11,643 tests.
