*ISLAMABAD: Amid a spike in Covid-19 infections, Education Minister ShafqatMahmood announced on Wednesday that educational institutions will remainclosed in virus hotspots of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and AzadKashmir till April 11.*
Briefing the media after chairing a meeting of the National Command andOperation Centre (NCOC) to take stock of the coronavirus situation, he saidthe provincial governments will decide whether to keep schools closed oropen in light of the number of infections.
“Board exams for class nine and above will be held as per schedule in Mayand June,” Mahmood cleared.
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He said the number of cases in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmirhas gone up. However, he added ,the coronavirus situation in Sindh,Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan is relatively under control.
Shafqat Mahmood said closure of educational institutions will affect theeducation of students but health is the government’s foremost priority.
He recalled that schools were earlier closed from 15th to 28th March insome districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the federalcapital in the light of a spike in Covid-19 cases. The next meeting of theeducation and health ministers will be held on the 7th of next month toreview the entire situation and then take decisions accordingly, hedisclosed.
