Authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh have shut down 13 more educational institutions in the last 24 hours over non-compliance of health guidelines and protocols, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said yesterday.
The NCOC said that 10 educational institutions in KP and three in Sindh have been shut down for flouting the coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The coronavirus causes the Covid-19 respiratory disease.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus has been detected in 88 schoolteachers in Sindh, according to an education department statement issued yesterday.
The results of 2,500 tests have been received out of 13,000 samples collected from different schools across the province.
Earlier this week, the NCOC had also said that a “major educational institute” in the federal capital was sealed after a spike in Covid-19 cases was reported there.
“A major educational institution sealed in Islamabad. Due to targeted testing, 16 cases were reported from the subject institution,” read the statement.
The NCOC had also said that contact tracing will be done to “ensure containment” of Covid-19 cases in the city.
The closures came shortly after all educational institutions, including seminaries, reopened from Tuesday after a six-month break amid concerns over the implementation of coronavirus safety protocols and fears of a second wave of the virus.
The government closed schools, colleges and universities in March to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Sindh suspended educational activities in the province on February 27 after the detection of the first Covid-19 case in Karachi.
On September 7, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood announced that all higher education institutions in the country will reopen in phases from September 15.
According to the guidelines issued by the government, the use of masks is mandatory for all teachers and students, while schools, colleges and universities will ensure the presence of hand sanitisers at the entrance.
The NCOC has also urged the parents and teachers to comply with the SOPs issued for the safety of students.
Minister Mehmood has said that the government is taking all possible measures to ensure strict monitoring system in all educational institutions regarding protection of children from the coronavirus.
Speaking with a private news channel, he said that strict implementation of the SOPs have been ensured and that monitoring teams from health and district administrations have been given task to report to the NCOC if any negligence is found anywhere.
Mehmood said that all educational institutions from 9th grade to university level have started educational activities, while primary and middle schools would be operational as per schedule given by the government.
This picture taken earlier this week shows students at the Islamabad Model College of Commerce for Girls.
