Public and private schools in Sindh including Karachi that have vaccinated their teachers and other members of staff reopened for in-person learning on Monday under strict guidelines.
In a notification issued by Sindh’s School Education and Literacy Department last week, the schools that have vaccinated their teachers and other staff members would be allowed to conduct from August 30 in-person classes for six days a week.
The classes from today have commenced with 50 percent attendance on alternative days as per the notification that directed the principals and heads of these institutions to ensure 100 percent vaccination of their workforce.
Read more: Schools in Sindh to remain closed for another week and open from Aug 30
On last Monday, while addressing a press conference in Karachi after meeting with representatives of private schools’ associations, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah announced that schools with 100 percent vaccinated staff can open from Aug 30. The minister added 80 percent of staff at private institutions had been vaccinated so far.
Another restriction from government is that children would only be allowed to go back to school if their parents are vaccinated. The minister added by saying that the parents would be bound to submit their vaccination certificates from the National Database and Registration Authority.
“A child coming from one household could be a carrier,” he said, adding that children were also contracting Covid-19.
“Education is a huge department, and employs a large number of people,” he said, adding that it was imperative to increase the rate of vaccination so that lockdowns did not have to be imposed.
He said schools will reopen with 50 percent attendance and for six days a week. “Random PCR testing will also be carried out at the schools,” he said. Several households suffer when there is a positive case at a school, he said.
