Govt decides today on reopening of schools from January 18

The country's education and health ministers will meet on Friday to decide about the reopening of educational institutions from Monday amid the coronavirus situation.

In a tweet, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said that the meeting will review the coronavirus situation before students start coming to school. He further said that students' well being will always be a priority.

"While I desperately want education to continue the final decision will be on health grounds," Mahmood tweeted.

Planning Minister Asad Umar will be chairing the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) meeting today. The federal government had earlier announced a phase-wise reopening of educational institutes from January 18.

Addressing a press conference on January 4, Mahmood announced that in the first phase, classes nine to 12 would be allowed to resume from January 18. In the second phase, the minister said, primary to class 8 will resume on January 25.

Whereas higher education institutions; universities and colleges will reopen on February 1, Mahmood said. The education minister further said that online classes can resume from January 11.

All educational institutions were closed on November 26 to contain the spread of coronavirus.