Educational institutions re-open across Pakistan

The on-campus classes at all sorts of educational institutions have resumed across Pakistan today (7 June, 2021), except for Primary classes in Sindh,.

This decision was taken after a constant decline in the coronavirus cases was noticed after a deadly third wave. The schools, colleges and universities are to follow strict SOPs.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had allowed authorities to resume physical education in districts where the positivity ratio is less than 5% from May 24 in the first phase, while those with a higher positivity ratio of the virus were scheduled to open from June 7.

The Sindh government, however, had decided to extend lockdown restrictions due to the higher positivity rate in the province and kept schools closed for another two weeks.

In a meeting of the Provincial Task Force for Coronavirus on Sunday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah green signaled the reopening of schools for classes 9 and above with directions for strict implementations of COVID-19 SOPs and ordered teachers to vaccinate themselves within two weeks.

Education activities have also resumed at all public and private schools in the Punjab province. According to a notification from the school education department, only 50% of students shall attend classes on a given day, while the other 50% strength of students is to attend classes the other day which will be assigned, and no student shall attend the school for two consecutive days.

In a Tweet, provincial Education Minister Murad Raas said government teams will be monitoring the situation and the strictness of SOPs very closely.

Meanwhile, in the federal capital Islamabad, students of grades 1-8 have started in-person classes from today after the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), which oversees public sector schools and colleges in the federal capital, issued a notification to this effect. The schools are already conducting classes for grades 9-10.

Likewise, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, schools in 30 districts were opened and universities resumed classes from today. However, in six districts including Peshawar, where the COVID-19 cases are still being reported in a high number, the schools are to remain closed till further announcement.