School, colleges reopening in Pakistan from September 15 amid COVID-19 crisis

Schools in Pakistan will begin reopening in phases from tomorrow i.e. September 15, ending a long closure that led to exam cancellations and threw students' grades into chaos.

Schools in Pakistan will begin reopening in phases from tomorrow i.e. September 15, ending a long closure that led to exam cancellations and threw students' grades into chaos.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday welcomed the return of children to schools amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Imran Khan said, "Tomorrow we will welcome millions of children back to school. It is our priority & collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn. We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on #COVID19"

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Higher education institutions and senior school classes will reopen from tomorrow, class 6 till 8 will open again on September 23, and on September 30 primary classes will reopen, Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister for Education, told a news conference.

"It is a difficult decision, as it involves the future of children, it was not an easy decision to make," Mahmood said, adding that success will only be achieved when parents and teachers play their role.

The South Asian country has recorded 302,020 cases of COVID-19 and nearly 6,383 deaths but has seen a slowing of numbers since June, when it recorded nearly 7,000 infections and 118 deaths in a single day.

On Sunday, 526 people tested positive for COVID-19 and six deaths were reported.

Explaining there is a need to lessen the density of students in classes, Faisal Sultan, the prime minister’s health adviser, said that if there are 40 students in a class, it should be divided in equal batches attending school on alternate days.

Speaking to reporters, Sultan requested all parents to ensure face masks for children. A surgical mask is not necessary, as even a mask made of cloth will do, he said.

The education minister warned punitive action against educational institutions not following precautionary measures.

Early last month, Pakistan opened gyms, salons, and restaurants dine-in for the first time in five months after being closed down to stop the spread of coronavirus.

(With inputs from Reuters)