On Wednesday, Shafqat Mahmood declared that educational institutions in the virus hotspots of Punjab, KP, and Azad Kashmir would remain closed until April 11, due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
In a media briefing following chairing a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to assess the virus situation, he said that depending on the number of infections, provincial governments would determine if to keep schools closed or open.
“Board exams for students in grades nine and up will be conducted on time in May and June,” Mahmood said. According to him, the number of cases in Punjab, KPK, and Azad Kashmir has increased. The coronavirus situation in Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit Baltistan, however, is under control, he added.
Closing of educational institutions would have an effect on students’ education, but health is the government’s primary concern, Shafqat Mahmood stressed. He recalled that, due to an increase in Covid-19 incidents earlier, schools in some districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and also in the federal capital, were closed from March 15 to March 28.