School to open with strict Covid 19 SOPs: Raja Basharat

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Cooperatives Raja Basharat has said schools and colleges are being opened for the 9th to 12th classes from January 18.

However, the health department has expressed concern that if SOPs were not fully implemented in educational institutions, it could increase the rate of the epidemic, so a review meeting would be held on February 8 after the schools open.

He was addressing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corona at the Chief Minister's House under his chairmanship on Thursday.

Provincial Minister for Health Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Special Assistant to CM for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Education Murad Ras, Minister for Higher Education Raja Yasir Humayun, Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal, Chief Secretary Punjab, Secretary Primary Health, Secretary Specialized Health and secretaries of other relevant departments were also present.

Briefing on the current status of the pandemic, the secretary of Primary Health said that the number of new corona patients had increased since last week while the rate of new patients in the province had averaged 5 per cent in the last one month.

The briefing said that the average rate in Lahore remained 10%, in Rawalpindi 7% and in Faisalabad 5% during the last month.

The committee took a special look at the corona pandemic with reference to the opening of educational institutions from the next week.

Raja Basharat said that the recommendations of the education and health departments would be sent to the federal government for further considerations. He said that it was a matter of great concern that majority of people were still not implementing SOPs.

Raja Basharat said that if schools, colleges, markets, bazaars and marriage halls were to be kept open then everyone should follow SOPs.

The minister directed the information department and the health department to conduct large-scale awareness campaign against coronavirus in educational institutions in particular and among the common public in general.