Islamabad (Web Desk): Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday announced that the educational institutes located in coronavirus hotspot areas including will remain closed till April 11.
He was briefing the media after chairing a meeting at the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) which was held to review whether educational institutions should remain closed.
Education ministers from all provinces attended the meeting, wherein the health department briefed the participants on the current situation.
Shafqat Mahmood said that the coronavirus situation is very serious in certain districts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Kashmir. However, the intensity of the virus is relatively less in Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.
"The educational institutions were closed from March 15 to March 28 in some districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the federal capital in the light of spike in Covid-19 cases," the minister said.
Shafqat said that the government is cognizant of the fact that the closure of educational institutions is affecting the education of children. However, he said the health of children is our priority.
He said that board examinations of classes 9, 10, 11and 12 will be held as per the timetable.
The education minister said that the next meeting of the education and health ministers will be held on April 7 to review the whole situation and then take the decision accordingly.