Schoolchildren at risk as corona cases on the rise

Rawalpindi: The twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday and the situation seems to be going out of control but all private and public schools have remained open with 100 per cent attendance proving the point that nobody is taking the issue seriously. Only the branches of the Army Public Schools (APS) have been closed for a week.

“The educational institutions under the control of Army Public School (APS) would remain closed till next orders,” an official from the management of APS schools told ‘The News’ here on Wednesday.

The educational institutions of Punjab and the federal government are waiting for a serious incident like the spreading of COVID-19 among students particularly among students in class 1 to class 5. The students of APS were taking online classes for a week.

Provincial Education Minister Murad Rass had directed to continue classes with 50 per cent presence of students at the age of 12-years. Above 12-year age, students would attend classes with 100 per cent presence. But, all public and private educational institutions are calling 100 per cent students in schools. Even students under 12-years age are also attending classes with 100 per cent presence.

Additional District Collector General (ADCG) Captain (r) Qasim Ijaz told ‘The News’ that we are continuously closing educational institutions where COVID-19 cases are being reported. “We are waiting for a proper notification of Punjab government with 50 per cent students at the age of 12-years,” he said. He said that our surveillance teams remained in the field to check COVID-19 cases.

The parents have appealed to higher authorities to close down educational institutions for two weeks till the normalisation of the situation. In fear of COVID-19, the majority of parents were reluctant to send their children to schools. The local management has closed 8 schools and three colleges on the appearance of COVID-19 cases.

The local management has closed Government Comprehensive Higher Secondary School Dhoke Kashmirian, Government Islamia High School No1 Jhangi Mohallah, Government High School Ratta Amral, Government Higher Secondary School No1 Bagh Sardaran, Government Girls Elementary School Kurri Doral Gujar Khan, Beaconhouse School System (BSS) Tipu Sultan Road, Government Boys High School Khayaban, Government Girls High School Tench Bhatta, Government Degree College for Women Dhoke Ratta, Government Associate College for Women Dhoke Syedan and Government Degree College for Women Mohan Pura.

The local management has also imposed ‘Smart Lockdown’ in some areas. Similarly, the local management badly failed to implement the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in bazaars. Over 80 per cent of citizens are moving without masks everywhere but local management continuously taking this issue non-seriously.