ISLAMABAD: The education minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, Saeed Ghani, said on Wednesday it was “unlikely” that schools would be allowed to resume classes from mid-January, as had been announced by the central government last month.
Pakistan shut its schools and postponed exams late in November to try to curb new coronavirus infections and a rise in the number of people in hospital with COVID-19.
Students, including those at higher educational institutions as well as in private schools, were expected to continue classes through distance learning until December 24, when schools are scheduled to go on winter break until January 11.
Pakistan recorded 2,142 new coronavirus cases countrywide and 83 deaths over the last 24 hours as a second wave of the epidemic has gathered momentum, government data released on Wednesday showed.
“Keeping in view the ongoing second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, it is unlikely that education institutes would be reopened in January 2020,” Ghani said while addressing a press conference in Karachi. However, he said that unlike the last term in the first wave of the pandemic, students would not be promoted to new grades without sitting for exams.
The statement comes as Sindh’s coronavirus tally reached 206,489 cases, of which 32,139 infections were recorded in just the last 22 days. Around 444 people have died in the province since the start of December.
The south Asian country has ruled out a wide ranging lockdown, opting to close down non-essential public gatherings in a bid to keep the economy afloat through the pandemic.
Pakistan first closed educational institutions between March and September to combat the spread of the virus. State television and radio stations were used to broadcast lessons at home for students in government schools.
