Islamabad (Web Desk): Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Monday announced that the educational institutions will remain closed from November 26 to December 24 due to rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
The announcement came after Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) convened to discuss school closures.
Addressing a press conference alongside Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, the education minister said that students will continue their education at home.
Shafqat Mahmood said the students of schools, colleges, universities and other learning institutions will not come to schools till 24th of next month. During this period, there will be online home learning for the students.
The minister said the winter vacations will commence from 25th December and continue till 10th January next year.
Shafqat Mahmood said a review meeting will be held in the first week of January to decide the future course of action. He however was confident that the education activities will resume from the 11th January 2021.
He said that all the examinations scheduled for the month of December have been postponed.
About the board exams, he said these will now be held in May and June next year.
Shafqat Mahmood said the vocational education involving practical work will continue. He said the tests for recruitments will also be held as per the schedule. He said those pursuing PhD as well as the research scholars can visit their institutes and labs.
The minister said there will be one third occupation in the hostels.
Briefing the media, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Faisal Sultan said the virus positivity ratio over the last twenty four hours has remained over seven percent.
He said the decisions taken at the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) were important to check the spread of the virus.
