To close or not to close? This is the question that will weigh heavily on the minds of the provincial education ministers who will gather on Thursday, November 5, to review the ongoing situation of rising COVID-19 cases across the country and discuss the possibility of, once again, closing schools.
We are currently witnessing the second wave of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, and the sudden rise in patients across the country has been deeply concerning, to say the least. Parents are worried for the safety and health of their students, and with various institutions reporting outbreaks of positive cases, their concern is justified.
However, closing down schools is easier said than done, and the decision is not one to be taken lightly. This is why the meeting has been called on Thursday, with Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood chairing the proceedings involving all four provincial minister and representatives from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
Aside from the crucial point of whether schools should be closed or not, decisions related to the board exams for class 8th will also take place during the meeting.
According to Mahmood, the government is closely monitoring the ongoing crisis and that any decision they make will be based on what is best for the health of the students, teachers, and school staff.
Additionally, the Minister dismissed recent rumors circulating about the closure of educational institutions. The government is keenly observing the situation, but it has not made any final decision yet.
“Rumors again afloat regarding school closures. It is again clarified that educational institutions are NOT being closed,” he said on Monday.
For now, all we can do is wait for the penultimate decision on Thursday.
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