Protective steps must: Educational institutions to open in Sept

ISLAMABAD: The Centre and provinces have agreed on the reopening of schools, colleges and universities in the first week of September after five months closure.

However, the final decision about it will be taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), which monitors and acts upon the developments to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The development comes as the federal and provincial ministers met in Islamabad on Wednesday via video link to discuss proposals on the reopening of educational institutions. Representatives of the Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir education departments also attended the meeting, which held with federal education minister Shafqat Mehmood in the chair.

The participants agreed that schools, colleges and universities should be allowed to resume operations across the country in the first week of September under strict enforcement of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The federal education minister said the final decision on the matter would be made in the last week of August considering the advice of the health ministry. He said he would raise the matter during the NCOC meeting to be held today (Thursday).

Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani said schools had suffered financial losses due to the coronavirus-induced closures. He suggested that private schools be given interest-free loans. The federal minister said he would discuss the matter with Prime Minister Imran Khan.