Back to school?

The Balochistan government closed all education institutions across the province to deal with the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. According to the notification issued by the provincial education department, the institutions will remain closed until May 17. The annual examinations of FA/FSc are also likely to be postponed. However, according to some reports, the positivity rate in Balochistan is less than five percent. Only Quetta has a relatively higher positivity rate. In one of the NCOC meetings, it was discussed that a smart lockdown would only be implemented in those districts where the positivity rate was more than five percent. If the situation in a majority of districts is not serious, why were education institutions closed? There is no doubt that the safety of health should be our top priority and that we need to strictly follow SOPs in order to protect ourselves from this virus. However, the authorities should pay attention to the education sector.

The provincial government is requested to review its decision and ensure the reopening of education institutions after Eid holidays.

Guldar Khan Wazir

Loralai