Punjab govt issues instructions for reopening schools

LAHORE: Government of Punjab has issued detailed instructions regarding reopening of schools across the province from 18th January 2021, according to a notification issued by the provincial education department.

Education and health ministers finalized the reopening of schools during a meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday after reviewing the current COVID-19 situation in the country.

In a press conference after the meeting, the federal education minister Shafqat Mahmood announced that reopening of schools will commence as planned for classes 9 through 12 starting from 18 January 2021.

However, students of grade 1 through 8 will return to schools from 1st February instead of the earlier decided date of 25th January, according to Shafqat Mahmood.

There is no change is the date of reopening for universities and students will return to classes on 1 February 2021 as planned earlier with strict implementation of coronavirus SOPs.

Read more: Schools reopening for classes 9-12 from January 18 as planned.

The Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas has shared a set of instructions regarding opening of schools in the province in order to keep the spread of COVID-19 under control.

Following are the instructions issued by the Punjab Education Department for safe reopening of schools and other educational institutions:

1. Students of all the educational institutions shall attend classes on alternate days with 50% ratio to main social distancing and prevent coronavirus spread among students.
2. Board Examinations for SSC / HSSC shall be held in the month of May and June 2021.
3. The Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) communicated earlier shall continue to be followed by the Public Schools. Assessment criteria and Examinations schedule for 5th and 8th grade shall be communicated separately by the Punjab Examination Commission.
4. All the concerned shall ensure strict implementations of SOPs already communicated time to time by the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department and School Education Department.
5. School timings shall be observed as previous practice in winter season as mentioned below.

School Timings in Punjab

Read more: School timings in Punjab from 16 October 2020.

The following is the notification regarding these instructions for reopening of schools in Punjab:

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