Thin attendance in schools

Islamabad: Educational institutions in Islamabad resumed in-person learning for grades nine to 12 on Monday after the pandemic-induced prolonged suspension.

However, low attendance was recorded with teachers attributing it to the call by clerics for street protests and shutter-down strike over the banning of a religio-political party.

The administrations enforced social distancing and other precautionary measures against the virus, including use of face mask and hand sanitiser, on campus.

They said the attendance was low but it would gradually grow as the parents developed confidence about the safety of their children on campus.

The teachers complained that the reopening of schools was imperative to address the academic losses the students had suffered due to the prolonged campus closures caused by the outbreak of coronavirus since March last year.

They said they ensured that the students strictly follow SOPs in classrooms and outside, and the students cooperated with them by and large.

However, doctors fear an increase in COVID-19 incidence after the reopening of educational institutions like before due to noncompliance with guidelines.