Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani warned on Monday that the provincial government would shut down schools if the coronavirus infections were to surge.
The minister made the comments during a press conference on Tuesday, just a day after educational institutions across the country reopened following a three-month gap.
"Parents who do not want to send their children to schools can refrain from it. Also, the administration can't ensure SOPs' implementation; the parents should play their part in it as well," the education minister said.
Moreover, the education minister said that 50% attendance was permitted in the schools in a bid to keep the virus at bay, adding that the government had conducted COVID-19 testing in schools and colleges.
Until now, the positivity rate in colleges is 1.9%, while in schools it stands at 5.9%, Ghani said. The education minister highlighted that four colleges had been shut after several COVID-19 cases were reported there.
Ghani said that the province had done 11,845 tests in schools' and from them, 546 came positive. "As the minister, I want the education department to improve."