By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD, July 08 (INP): Education ministers on Wednesday have agreed on reopening educational institutes across the country in first week of September with strict implementation on standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The decision was taken in Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) that was chaired by Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mehmood and attended by representatives from all four provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir.
During the meeting, it was decided that coronavirus situation will be thoroughly monitored before opening the institutions.
The final approval in this regard will be taken in National Command Operation Center (NCOC) meeting on July 9.
The decision was taken in a meeting of the National Security Committee, presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Twitter.
To prevent spread of dis-information and fake news about COVID-19 pandemic on social media, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday formed a committee under chairmanship of Interior Minister Brig (Retd) Ejaz Ahmed Shah. The committee will prepare legal framework to prevent and counter dis-information and suggest action against those involved in spreading false information about the pandemic.
Representatives of ministries of Information and Broadcasting, National Health Regulation and ISPR and other related departments will also be part of the committee. The first meeting of the committee will be held in few days to finalize modalities and measures for preventing dis-information about COVID-19 on social media. The NCOC panel was also apprised the United Nations has also made an appeal to stop spreading dis-information about COVID-19.
The NCOC meeting chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar reviewed comprehensive death data analysis, Epi Curve Chart and, update on committee countering COVID-19 related dis-information and provincial visit of NCOC team. The minister said they would change the current crisis into opportunity to bring further improvement in health sector of the country.
