Private schools demand opening of campuses with strict SOPs

KARACHI:As business activities have resumed in the city, private school associations have demanded of the Sindh government to open educational institutes.

The associations in their separate press statements had raised concerns about the closure of schools. They said that the government had no solution to minimise the educational disruption by using alternative means for education.

All Private Schools Management Association Sindh Chairman Syed Tariq Shah said that if the provincial government had formed standard operating procedures (SOPs), they would have been followed at schools.

The education minister after the steering committee meeting had decided to promote students to the next classes but due to the closure of schools, the orders were yet to be implemented.

All Pakistan Private Schools Federation’s Sindh chapter president Sharaf uz Zaman demanded the opening of schools with strict SOPs. Since the closure of educational institutions, it seemed that the authorities neither had a solution nor they were interested to sort out an alternative way to overcome the disruption in educational activities, he said.

Schools told to ensure cleanliness during closure: The school education and literacy department has asked the administrators and headmasters of public schools to ensure a good state of cleanliness and maintenance of equipment.

A circular issued on Thursday reads: “Due to the closure of schools on account of COVID-19 disease, cleanliness of school premises, maintenance of gardens and a necessary dusting of school buildings, furniture & fixture, machinery & equipment and other reading material for proper upkeep has not been done for approximately last two months, resulting in untidy school premises, withering of buildings and rusting of equipment and if the situation is unattended, it would cause loss of public property”.

It said that necessary instructions would be passed on to the principals so that cleanliness at schools could be ensured after the Eid holidays. “However, only sanitary staff, security guards, and other essential staff may be called for the purpose.

They would be also bound to follow Sindh’s Health Department advisory for social distancing, regular hand washing, wearing facemasks, and other precautionary measures.”

It said the relevant directors, district education officers, and town education officers should regularly visit schools for compliance with government instructions. “If they feel any negligence, the officers would report to the authority concerned, and action can be taken.”