Pakistan mulls phased reopening of schools, universities from Sept 15

Islamabad: Pakistan is mulling a safe, phased and calculated reopening of educational institutes from September 15.

National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) – leading the country’s fight against coronavirus – has recommended the start of the fall semester with a top to bottom approach starting from the opening of universities first followed by colleges and schools on a rotational basis. “Timings of various institutions would be staggered and activities that involve contact and mass gatherings, including co-curricular activities, would be suspended,” NCOC officials suggested.

The Thursday meeting focused on a single point agenda of the reopening of educational institutions across Pakistan. Representatives of educational institutions, including public, private and seminaries, were invited to attend the meeting to develop a consensus. Participants were informed about risk and challenges of the opening of educational institutions and the gradual reopening strategy based on best practices and devised after consultations with international experts and academia.

Detailed measures and health guidelines particularly wearing mask, social distancing and hand washing protocols to be ensured at schools were also discussed.

Back to school from September 15

Pakistan is likely to announce the reopening of educational institutions from September 15 in phases, following a final meeting scheduled for Sept 7. All educational institutions will have to ensure that COVID-19 protocols are in place before the final decision. Enhanced tracing, tracking and testing strategy at schools and universities is also being considered.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan shared that a technology-based monitoring mechanism would be developed to ensure health guidelines and COVID containment measures, especially at educational institutes.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said that the decision to reopen would be based on the health indicators and status of standard health protocol at schools and universities.

Federal education minister earlier said that the educational institutes would be reopened in line with the recommendations of the Health Ministry, which will also develop standard operating procedures (SOPs). The Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have already issued the guidelines.

In early August, Pakistan government lifted lockdown restrictions and allowed various businesses and industries to reopen except for schools after a swift decline in COVID-19 cases.