Classrooms come alive again

All educational institutions across the country reopened on Monday with a few exceptions after witnessing a decline in coronavirus cases.

All schools in Punjab, all educational institutions from Grades IX and above in Sindh, and all higher educational institutions in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have resumed classes as the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic showed signs of easing with the positivity rate lowering to 3.02%.

Schools in Balochistan reopened on May 24.

According to the Express News, the lockdown has been eased and all educational institutions in the country have been reopened in light of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) decisions.

“No compromise will be made on the implementation of important coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs),” according to the NCOC. “Strict SOPs are being implemented in schools as masks, hand sanitisers and social distancing have been made mandatory for students.”

Further, the NCOC has made coronavirus vaccination mandatory for teachers and non-teaching staff.

According to the Express News, the temperature of students is being checked at the entrance of various educational institutions. “Students are not allowed to hug or shake hands.”

On June 6, 248,861 people across the country were vaccinated against coronavirus. So far, 296,842 people have been vaccinated.

“All public and private sector universities will reopen under strict compliance of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) notified by the NCOC,” a notification from the K-P Higher Education Department read.

The provincial government of Sindh on Sunday also decided to reopen educational institutions from Class-IX and above with 50% attendance.