ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday resumed in-person classes for students of primary schools and universities after closing down for a two-month break during the second wave of the COVID-19 disease in November last year.
Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood tweeted words of encouragement on Sunday night, welcoming the students on their first day back to school.
In a separate tweet, the minister urged universities who had decided not to re-open on Monday to “reconsider” their decision.
“To those universities who are still not opening despite government permission, I have this to say; Online lessons however good are no substitute for on-campus classes,” Mahmood said.
To those universities who are still not opening despite government permission, I have this to say; Online lessons however good are no substitute for on campus classes. Also interactions in the university mould social behaviour. They should reconsider.
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) January 31, 2021
As part of its anti-coronavirus measures, the government had ordered the closure of all schools and colleges on Nov. 26 with online learning operational until Dec. 24 before the winter break until Jan. 11.
Students from grades 9 to 12 returned to school on Jan. 18.
Pakistan has recorded 546,428 cases of the coronavirus and 11,684 deaths, but there’s been progress with 501,252 recoveries reported so far and more than 7.9 million tests conducted.
