Education minister announces major decision about educational institutions

Lahore: Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas announced major decision regarding the educational institutions for only Lahore and Rawalpindi. 

Taking to the social-media micro-blogging website twitter, the provincial minister said that in all public and private schools, classes up to Grade 6 will be staggered 50 per cent students each day until February 15 in Lahore and Rawalpindi. 

He said that the classes 7 through 12 will remain on the previous schedule, urging the students that please follow COVID SOPs. 

ANNOUNCEMENT
Only in Lahore & Rawalpindi.
In all Public & Private Schools, classes up to Grade 6 will be staggered (50% students each day) until February 15th, 2022. Classes 7 through 12 will remain on the previous schedule. Please follow COVID SOPs.

— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) January 28, 2022

Earlier, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) decided to maintain restrictions on the education sector till mid-February in view of the spread of coronavirus cases, directing that schools will remain open in cities below 10 per cent positivity rate of COVID-19.

According to the details, the NCOC has decided to maintain restrictions for the education sector due to spike of cases and approved extension of restrictions.

The sources said that it was decided to maintain restrictions on the education sector till mid-February and to keep schools open in cities with less than 10 per cent positivity rate.

The sources also maintained that schools for students above 12 years of age will be open in cities with less than 10 per cent rate but fully vaccinated students above 12 years of age will be allowed to come to school.

As per sources, in cities with a rate of more than 10 per cent positivity rate, the students will come to school on different days and half attendance of children under 12 will be able to come to school.

The NCOC further mentioned that having more than 10 per cent positivity rate of the cities will have 100 per cent students over 12 years, but the implementation of Corona SOPs in educational institutions has to be ensured.

From February 1, students over the age of 12 will be required to be fully vaccinated certificates, corona testing will continue in educational institutions across the country and the decision to close educational institutions will be based on the results of corona testing.

It may be recalled that the NCOC had announced sanctions for various sectors from January 20.