Students urge Shafqat Mahmood to close educational institutes

Students urge Shafqat Mahmood to close educational institutes

Even though educational institutes across the country have reopened after approximately three months in Pakistan, a lot of students are appealing the education minister Shafqat Mahmood to close the campuses and continue with online classes.

Several students rejected the idea of on-campus classes amid the rising cases of coronavirus pandemic after the education minister emphasized on the importance of on-campus learning via his Twitter account late night on Sunday.

Also Read: Students head back to school in Sindh

Many students were of the view that it is not viable for students to come to campuses when they can learn from the safe zone their homes in the widespread coronavirus threat.

"To those universities, who are still not opening despite government permission, I have this to say; Online lessons however good are no substitute for on campus classes. Also interactions in the university mould social behaviour. They should reconsider," Shafqat Mahmood had tweeted.

One of the students complained and requested the minister for help, “we have studied whole year by online lectures but now PU Lahore is taking Campus Exams,”

The students said that he is “much worried about this whole situation.”

Another student complained that the threat of coronavirus has not eradicated yet and the minister should keep the schools closed for the 9th to 11th grades and allow students to proceed with online classes till March.       

A student at Bahria University said that while the varsity forced students to take on-campus exams, no precautions and SOPs are being followed at the campus. She said that instead “students who demanded online exams are being threatened,” she said in a tweet. 

Earlier, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) taking all the stakeholder on board decided to reopen educational institutes across the country – including primary, middle school and universities.

It is pertinent to note that globally, there has been an uptick noticed in the spread of virus with the reopening of educational institutes. The forum has decided to reopen schools following strick SOPs and group wise on-campus classes to help reduce the spread of contagion.