Pak govt decides not to close educational institutes despite COVID-19 surge

Pakistan's Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood has said that the federal government has decided to keep the educational institutions open despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases throughout the country.

The announcement was made in a news conference following a meeting of the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) presided over by Mahmood in Islamabad.

"The government has decided to keep the educational institutions open with strict adherence to Covid-19 SOPs," The Express Tribune quoted the education minister as saying.

He said that all government and private schools will be allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity. "It is important that we look after the educational activities of our children as well as we do not know how long the pandemic is going to last," he added.

Mahmood said that the educational institutions in Sindh however would remain closed till August 8.

He said that examinations would also be conducted throughout the country as per schedule except for Sindh, saying that a 5 per cent grace mark will be given to the students, The Express Tribune reported.

Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to record a spike in COVID-19 cases as the country total number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,047,999, while COVID-19 deaths stand at 23,575. The positivity rate of the virus was recorded at 8.23 per cent.

Meanwhile, the number of active coronavirus cases in the country surpassed the 78,595 mark.

( With inputs from ANI )