By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday has granted permission to enter into the second phase of reopening schools for secondary students across the country. The NCOC in its declaration stated that the academic sessions of secondary students from Class VI to Class VIII will be resumed across the country from September 23.
It added that the schools will be reopened in the second phase as per scheduled announced by the NCOC for resuming academic activities in the educational institutions.
Meanwhile, Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas announced all public and private schools will be allowed to resume classes 6 through 8 from September 23. He said that it is imperative for everyone to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by Punjab’s school education department.
He urged for playing their part for making the second phase of reopening schools successful.
Moreover, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Education Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai also announced to reopen all government and private schools across the province from tomorrow. He said that the authorities are satisfied with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the education centres.
Shahram Khan Tarakai said that SOPs for schools in rural areas are different from the urban parts. He announced that more than 3200 middle schools will resume academic activities following the latest decision.
Earlier on September 18, the Sindh government had decided to postpone the second phase to reopen schools for the resumption of academic sessions of Class 6 to 8 (Secondary Section) from September 21.
Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani announced that the academic sessions of Class 6 to 8 will not be resumed in schools across the province as negligence was seen in many educational institutions in the implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) against coronavirus pandemic.
He, however, said that the decision to postpone schools’ reopening for the secondary student was made for only one week.
Ghani added that the provincial authorities will permit schools to resume secondary-level classes from September 28 if the situation remains better.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh education department had prepared a draft of short curriculums for the students of schools and colleges for the current academic year as the provinces were heading to reopen educational institutions in phases from September 15 after a decline in COVID-19 cases.
The Sindh secretary education prepared short curriculums for schools and colleges separately which will be introduced before reopening the educational institutions.
Moreover, addressing a media briefing in Islamabad later in the day, the federal education minister said that the government had been closely monitoring the health situation since schools reopened.
He added that he and the provincial ministers had visited schools across the country to ensure that standard operating procedures (SOPs) for curbing the spread of the virus were being followed.
“Let me say that several schools were closed down for not following SOPs. It was being perceived incorrectly that this was done due to an increase in the number of cases. This was done only because they didn’t follow the guidelines.”
He added that after reviewing the situation, it was decided earlier today that secondary classes would resume in Punjab, KP, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir with the exception of Rawalkot district, and Gilgit Baltistan.
Mahmood regretted that Sindh had decided to delay middle school classes. “We wanted a unified decision [but] they said they will review the situation for another week,” he said.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan added that during the past one week since schools reopened across the country, there had not been a rise in the number of total cases or the positivity rate.
He also urged parents, students and school administrations to ensure and encourage the use of face masks and other guidelines for curbing the spread of the virus.
“The situation is improving, but we require your cooperation,” said Mahmood.
