ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has said that a final decision on the reopening of schools will be taken in the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) meeting scheduled for January 4th.

He was talking with the Private Schools Associations’ delegation, which were called by the government for negotiations after the announcement of the reopening of schools from January 11th.

Mahmood was accompanied by the parliamentary secretary, while the private schools’ delegation included Afzal Babar, Hafeez Bisharat, Abrar Khan, and Nasir Mahmood.

A meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers has been convened on January 4th to review the situation, in which the officials of the Health Ministry will share their input.

A decision on whether or not to reopen schools will be taken according to their advice. The delegation appealed to the government to understand the problems being faced by the private schools.

Mahmood said that the government was mulling over to reduce this year’s summer vacations, and postponement of examinations scheduled in March, but the final approval would be given by the NCOC. The Private Schools Supreme Council had announced to reopen educational institutes from January 11.

Addressing a press conference, office-bearers of the council had demanded that the government announced the reopening of schools from January 11.

Even if it does not do so, they said they would reopen schools on that date under the standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021