‘Govt to reopen educational institutions from Sept 15’

ISLAMABAD: The federal minister for education announced on Thursday that the government had taken the decision to reopen schools across the country from September 15, 2020 if health conditions improve.

Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood was holding a press conference where he said that the decision had been taken by the government to reopen schools, universities, colleges and all educational institutions from September 15 if the health conditions improved.

The message from the minister comes after a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan. However, critics have pointed out that the government is conducting less than 30,000 tests per day when it has the capacity to test 70,000 plus people.

The minister said that universities had recommended to the government that PhD students should be allowed, in a limited quantity, to universities. “How they decide to call students, we leave it up to the universities,” he said.

He touched upon the problems faced by students in some areas where there was a lack of internet facilities, saying that some students were unable to study properly due to it.

Mahmood said that educational institutions had advised the government to allow examinations to be held. “We have received suggestions to allow the holding of exams for medical students and university admission tests,” he said.

The minister announced that the government will relax some restrictions imposed on important exams and admission tests as well.

He said that the government was permitting universities also to admit students into hostels up to 30% capacity. However, Mahmood said that ‘health checks’ which included tests and temperature checks will be done strictly by universities.