Coronavirus scare: Sindh, Balochistan schools to reopen in March

All public and private schools in Sindh to remain closed till March 2, 2020

By Web Desk
February 27, 2020
The News/Files

QUETTA: Educational institutions in Sindh will remain closed till March 2, 2020, while those in Balochistan will resume on March 15,2020, Geo News reported on Thursday.

A notification issued by the Government of Sindh said that keeping in mind the preventive measures taken in light of the two coronavirus cases emerging in Pakistan, as a preventive measure, schools in the two provinces will reopen now in March.

A copy of the Balochistan government's notification announcing the closure of educational institutes until March 15. The News/Handout
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A notification by the Government of Balochistan clarified that all public and private educational institutes, as well as madrassas, would remain closed after two coronavirus cases were confirmed
in Pakistan — one each in Karachi and Islamabad.

"The ongoing examinations of Grade 9 and Matriculation are also suspended," Balochistan education minister said in a video message. "We want to keep our children safe.

"This step has only been taken as a safety measure and no one needs to panic," he added.

The notification was approved by Secretary Secondary Education Department.

"Matriculation Examination under Balochistan Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education are also being postponed and the remaining papers will be organized in due course of time," it added.

A copy of the Sindh government's notification announcing the closure of educational institutes until March 2. The News/Handout

Earlier, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani had announced that the schools in the province would remain closed till February 28.

"Sindh Govt has decided to close all the schools of province for Thursday & Friday (27th & 28th Feb)," Ghani had written on Twitter.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza confirmed late Wednesday that two coronavirus cases were reported in Pakistan. "Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols & both of them are stable," he wrote on Twitter.

Dr Mirza emphasised that there was "no need to panic [as] things are under control" and that no one should "share information of the patient". The patient in Karachi, as well as his family, was immediately placed in quarantine at a private hospital on the National Stadium Road while the one in Islamabad was moved to the capital's Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

The first confirmed coronavirus patient, a 22-year-old man, had arrived in an aeroplane from Iran and has a history of travel to Tehran from where he reportedly acquired the virus, a spokesperson for the Sindh health department said.

The health department was, as of reporting time, examining the passengers he has travelled with. It was also set to dispatch a team to inspect his residence as well as his neighbourhood.

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