Pakistan
Schools for grade 1-8 to remain closed till April 28, O-Levels exams to take place as per schedule
Islamabad: Amid rise in Covid-19 cases in the country, the government has announced that the classes for students from grade 1-8, in districts affected the most by coronavirus, will remain suspended till April 28.
According to details, a meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) chaired by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar and also attended by Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood.
While addressing presser post meeting, the education minister said that it has been decided to hold matriculation exams (grade 9 and 10) in the third week of May while O-Levels and A-levels examination will take place as per schedule.
“Classes of grade 9-12 will commence from April 19 under strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs. Universities in affected districts will also remain closed and classes will be held online,” he added.
Punjab's provincial education minister Murad Raas also made three announcements following the presser by Shafqat Mehmood.
He identified the cities where the schools will stay closed: Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Multan, Bhawalpur, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, TT Sindh, Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan and Sheikhupura.
Dr Raas further said that schools for grade nine to 12 will be open only Monday and Thursday, starting April 19.
Examinations for classes nine through 12 and O/A Levels will, however, will be held as per schedule in Punjab.
Earlier, the government ordered educational institutions in 18 districts to remain closed until April 11.
The districts where schools closed include Lahore, Sheikhupura, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sialkot, Gujarat, Multan and Faisalabad.
On March 10, the federal government had announced a two-week Spring Break in Islamabad, Peshawar and seven Punjab cities where a sharp surge in infections was reported.
Today, Pakistan reported 3,953 new Covid-19 cases and 103 deaths, with authorities linking the uptick in numbers to the third wave of the deadly outbreak across the country.
As per NCOC, the total number of confirmed cases reached to 696,184. As many as 618,158 patients have recovered from the disease with 3,645 critical cases.