No exam will be cancelled this year, Shafqat Mahmood

Islamabad: The Minister for Education and Vocational training Shafqat Mahmood announced Tuesday that schools in the districts with the highest coronavirus positivity rate will remain closed until April 11.

While speaking at the press conference in Islamabad, the minister said that Sindh, Baluchistan, and Gilgit Baltistan are less affected by a coronavirus. However, he said that the situation in the cities and districts in Punjab including Lahore and some districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is critical; therefore, the educational institutes will remain close in these districts until April 11. The decision to select the districts will be taken by the provincial governments.

Shafqat Mahmood announces the closure of schools in coronavirus affected areas till April 11

The minister said that in Punjab, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Sargodha, Sheikhupura are the worst affected districts from coronavirus, hence the schools shall remain closed in their respective districts. However, he said that districts with lesser cases will follow the previously released schedule. Any school violating the government’s orders will be sealed, he added.

Mahmood said that last year, the examinations for Ninth, Matric, Intermediate could not be commenced due to the coronavirus spread but this year it the exams will be commenced all across the country as per schedule. Ninth and Matric exams will be held by the end of May whereas, exams for the Cambridge System will begin soon, “We will decide the Cambridge exams date after having a meeting with the Cambridge officials,” he said.

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Before the press conference, the meeting was held between NCOC and Ministers of Education and Health where the rapid increase in the coronavirus in the country was deliberated and discussed. The meeting decided to extend the closure of educational institutes in Islamabad. Moreover, schools in 10 districts of Punjab were also directed to remain close.

Condition in KP

The Minister for Education KP, Shahram Tarakai said in a tweet that nine districts in KP will remain closed till April 11. The districts include Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Sawabi, Malakand, Swat, Noshehra, and Buner.

It is pertinent to note that in the last 24 hours, more than 3301 cases of coronavirus were reported which takes the number of cases in the country to 36,849.

For Universities:

The Higher Education Commission has also ordered universities in corona virus high risk areas to take classes online till April 11, following the governance’s orders to closes educational institutions in selected cities.

Moreover, the prescheduled and ongoing exams can go as planned with complete compliance of covid 19 standard operating procedures.