Schools in Punjab to re-open with strict SOPs on 18th: Raja Basharat

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Cooperatives Raja Basharat has said schools and colleges are being opened for the 9th to 12th classes from January 18.

However, the health department has expressed concern that if SOPs were not fully implemented in educational institutions, it could increase the rate of the epidemic, so a review meeting would be held on February 8 after the schools re-open, he said.

He was addressing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corona at the Chief Minister's House held here under his chairmanship Thursday. Provincial Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid, Special Assistant to CM for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Education Murad Ras, Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun, Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary Punjab, Secretary Primary Health, Secretary Specialised Health and secretaries of other relevant departments were also present.

Briefing on the current status of the pandemic, the secretary of Primary Health said that the number of corona patients had increased for last week while the rate of new patients in the province had averaged 5 percent in the last one month.

The briefing said that the average rate in Lahore remained 10%, in Rawalpindi 7% and in Faisalabad 5% during the last month. The committee took a special look at the corona pandemic with reference to the opening of educational institutions from the next week. Raja Basharat said that the recommendations of the education and health departments would be sent to the federal government for further considerations.

He said that it was a matter of great concern that majority of people were still not implementing SOPs. The minister said that if schools, colleges, markets, bazaars and marriage halls were to be kept open then everyone should follow SOPs.

The minister directed the information and health departments to conduct large-scale awareness campaign against corona virus in educational institutions in particular and among the general public in general.