Education

Schools in Pakistan to start 5-day regular classes from March 1: Shafqat Mehmood

Writer Syeda Sadia Shahid

Posted on February 25, 2021

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Schools in Pakistan

All schools in Pakistan are going to have 5-day regular classes from the 1^st March.

According to Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training announced on Thursday that all schools activities are going to be resumed normally from 1st March. All school-going students will have 5-day regular classes. He took on Twitter and posted;

“Important announcement. All schools in Pakistan will go back to regular 5-day classes from Monday, March 1. Restrictions imposed in some major cities on schools to conduct staggered classes was only till Feb 28.”

He added that, “This announcement applies to every educational institution in the designated cities where restrictions had been imposed. Allah SWTs infinite mercy that we are returning to normal”

However, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) in January decided not to resume school system normally as before, due to covid-19 pandemic. The decision was taken under the view of all stakeholders. The students in Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore and Peshawar had to attend classes with 50% strength on alternate days.

They were further constructed to follow strict SOPS at the primary, middle and university level.

Moreover, the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) has decided to ease COVID-19 restrictions from 15^th March which were earlier imposed after carefully reviewing the existing non-pharmaceutical interventions. NCOC further says that this decision will later review if corona cases increased.

Following are some of the decisions taken by the NCOC.

Time-limit lifted from commercial activities and amusement parks.
Condition of 50% work from home removed for office employees.
Indoor wedding ceremonies will be allowed from March 15, 2021, with stringent COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place.
Indoor dining allowed from March 15, subject to a review on March 10.
Opening of cinemas and shrines allowed with strict COVID-19 SOPs with effect from March 15.
Wearing face masks, social distancing, smart lockdowns will continue and will be ensured.
From a health perspective, the conduct of local bodies and cantonment board elections may be planned by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by the end of May or early June 2021.
Spectators’ attendance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Pool matches to be increased to 50 % from the current 20%. Whereas, full attendance will be allowed for play-offs with stringent COVID-19 SOPs in place.