Educational institutions in Pakistan that are located in coronavirus hotspot areas will remain closed till April 11, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood announced on Wednesday due to the rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
He was speaking to the media after an important meeting of education and health ministers at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to decide on the closure of schools amid an alarming rise of coronavirus cases in the country. “Board exams for class nine and above will be held as per schedule in May and June,” Mahmood cleared.
“Schools, colleges, universities, academies and seminaries will be closed in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Gujrat, Multan, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar and Islamabad,” he said. The announcement came amid 8.62 per cent coronavirus positivity rate in the country.
Closure of Educational Institutes
In Balochistan and Sindh, 50% of students are allowed to attend the schools on alternate days to minimize the risk of the prevalence of the deadly virus. The minister further added that the provincial government can make the decision regarding the closure of the institutes in the various areas depending upon the situation of coronavirus. Shafqat Mahmood has said that the school authorities can call the teachers to the school.
SSC and HSSC Exams Detail
The minister said board examinations won’t be cancelled this year and examinations of classes 9, 10 and 11 would be held as per scheduled. “Last year, they (exams) were cancelled and students were promoted without appearing for their examinations. This won’t happen, this time around,” he said. Earlier the Punjab boards of chairpersons has issued the matric date sheet 2021 and intermediate date sheet 2021 for the students and the exams are scheduled to be conducted in May, June, and July.
