COVID-19: Sindh issues notices to schools for reopening and violating orders

KARACHI: Sindh's education ministry on Monday issued show-cause notices to schools which were reopened today violating government’s COVID-19 policy.

The ministry has given 24 hours to the schools to respond to the notice.

Earlier, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani has ordered action against private schools that defied orders from the provincial government.

The minister took notice of the news on private schools aired by Geo News and directed the secretary education and the director-general private schools to initiate action against those who violated government's orders of not reopening educational institutions before September 15.

Ghani said that the provincial government will cancel registrations of schools that defied the orders and reopened. He also directed the concerned deputy commissioners to take strict action against the administration of such schools.

The education minister warned that no one will be allowed to play with the lives of the children by reopening schools without the government's permission and challenge its writ.

Meanwhile, Action Committee leader Engineer Abdul Rehman said that the schools resumed operations with all the standard operating procedures in place.

He added that if the schools remain closed any further, then the students will lose out on one year of education.

Ghani had made it clear that the final decision on reopening of schools rests with the government and that no private body is authorised to take this decision in any capacity, further warning that schools may not reopen on the tentative September 15 date if health officials are not satisfied with the coronavirus situation.

The provincial minister had pointed out that the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had decided that schools should not reopen as of now.