Cannot say if schools would reopen on Jan 11: Shafqat

By Syed Muhammad Askari

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said on Friday that it was unclear whether educational institutions would be allowed to reopen on January 11, 2021 keeping in view the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Talking to Geo Pakistan, the federal minister said authorities would review the education policy considering the new highly infectious strain of COVID-19. “The final decision would be made on the advice of health ministry as this is fundamentally their domain. We cannot risk children’s health.”

Mahmood said it was unclear whether schools would be allowed to reopen on January 11 as planned. “We would seek advice from the health ministry and review the ongoing situation during the January 4 meeting. The decision would be taken then.”

When asked about the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the education sector, the minister said it suffered a loss by remaining closed from March 2020 through September 2020. “We had to close down again in November 2020. But we also adapted. Within 15 days we introduced television school and now we are about to launch radio schooling while universities have moved to online classes.”

Talking about the education sector’s goals for 2021, Mahmood said the PTI government was looking to implement Single National Curriculum. “It would be applied in all schools both private and public. It is a huge step in ensuring equality.”

The minister added that the government also aims to increase allocation for university-level education in the upcoming budget.

Both Sindh and Punjab education ministers had earlier said that it was unlikely that schools would be reopened in January due to the second wave of coronavirus infections.

It may be added here that private schools associations across the country have opposed keeping schools shuts.

On Thursday, a private school council demanded the government reopen schools on January 11 as planned and also sought an economic relief package. "The government should suspend the registration fee and taxes for a year."

Meanwhile, the proposal to open educational institutions across the country in three phases has been included in the agenda of the meeting of inter-provincial education ministers, which will be chaired by Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on January 4. In the first phase, the primary schools will be opened from January 25, in the second phase, middle or equivalent institutions will be opened from February 4 and higher education institutions will be reopened from February 15. The school and board examinations will be held in the last week of May and June. It is suggested to take it at the beginning.

The proposal said the summer vacation should be shortened and new school sessions would begin in August. It said the meeting would also review the national education policy and the situation of coronavirus in the country, especially provinces, and in the light of which, approval would be given to open educational institutions in three phases.