ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced the closure of all educational institutions from November 26 to December 24 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases, ARY News reported on Monday.
Shafqat Mahmood, while addressing an important press conference alongside Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, said that the government will have to take such steps to immediately stop the virus spread.
“It has decided to close all educational institutions across Pakistan from November 26 till December 24. Winter vacations will be started from December 25 to January 10. Children will continue their academic activities from their homes as all academic sessions will be continued using online medium.”
A session of the inter-provincial education ministers held under the chair of Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood to decide upon the closure of educational institutions during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
The provincial education ministers have shown agreement for the closure of schools during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, sources told ARY News. The federal government suggested one-month closure of the education centres across the country.
Read: COVID-19: Pakistan witnesses 2,756 cases, 34 deaths in 24 hours
During the session, Shafqat Mahmood said that lives of the educators and students are most important and no compromise will be made on their health.
NCOC briefed on COVID-19
According to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity rate has reached 7.46 per cent, which is the highest in a single day since July 22.
The health authorities gave a detailed briefing on the current coronavirus situation earlier in the day, including a reported spike in deaths and infections, and its impact on educational institutions as well as measures to address the pandemic.
Read: Covid-19: 13-day lockdown imposed in various parts of Hyderabad
The NCOC was briefed that Pakistan’s positivity ratio has soared to 7.46 per cent lately. Azad Jammu and Kashmir that has been put under a blanket lockdown for a fortnight recorded the highest positivity ratio at 11.45pc, followed by 9.85pc witnessed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Sindh recorded 9.63pc, Islamabad 8.09pc, Gilgit Baltistan 5.23pc and Punjab 3.95pc.
It was informed that an average of 35 fatalities have been reported countrywide daily for the past two weeks. The positivity ratio of coronavirus cases in education institutions has reached 3.3 per cent.
The NCOC was told that the number of cases has risen in several cities in Pakistan, including Rawalpindi, Multan, Lahore and Faisalabad in Punjab; Karachi and Hyderabad in Sindh; Peshawar, Abbottabad and Swat in KP; Mirpur in AJK; Gilgit and Islamabad.
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