Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani on Saturday announced to open private and government schools across the province on March 09.

He said that the decision to open schools from March 09 was taken to ensure preparations for the matriculation papers in the city.

"The schools shall receive admit cards from the board of secondary education on priority basis in order to hand them over to the students before the examinations commencing from March 16," he said.

He, however, said that the academic activities at the schools would however begin after March 13 as per the announced schedule.

The minister further announced that the new academic year for 2020-21 in all provincial schools would begin from April 15, while summer vacation will be from May 20 to July 20 for two months.

It is to be mentioned here that Sindh has announced the closure of educational institutions in the province till March 13 amid fears of spreading of the deadly virus.

Earlier, Sindh's Education Minister Saeed Ghani said that the apprehension of breaking out of coronavirus in academic institutions still persists.

The diagnosis of the disease required monitoring of a suspected case for two weeks, he said.

The education minister, however, said that no further extension in school holidays will be announced.