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Education Ministers Agree to Close Schools Across Pakistan

Update: The provincial ministers for education have reached a consensus to keep schools closed until January 10, 2021.

As per the decision, all educational institutes (schools, colleges, universities, coaching classes) will remain closed from November 26 to January 10 to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The academic session will continue through online classes in the meantime. There will be winter vacations from December 26 to January 10, however, vocational institutes will remain open.

Teachers will have to come to school twice a day, while students will continue to get on-line classes during the period.

A review meeting will be held in the first week of January to decide the future course of action.

All the examinations scheduled for the month of December have been postponed. About the board exams, they will now be held in May and June next year.

Vocational education involving practical work will continue. Tests for recruitments will also be held as per the schedule. Those pursuing Ph.D. as well as the research scholars can visit their institutes and labs.

Occupation in the hostels will also be limited to one-third of the usual capacity.


The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) is underway at the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) in Islamabad to discuss the situation of educational institutions in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19.

Provincial education ministers, health departments, and other relevant authorities will brief the forum on the pandemic situation in their respective provinces.

Chaired by the federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood, the meeting will decide on the winter vacations today.


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According to media reports, students are likely to get an early and extended winter break this year as education ministers, who previously opposed the idea, now agree with it.

The education ministers for Sindh and Punjab, Saeed Ghani and Murad Raas, opposed the proposal. However, the spread of the virus in education institutes has forced them to change their minds. Both ministers are expected to vote in favor of the winter holidays at the end of the meeting.


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Meanwhile, federal education and health departments have already recommended closing down all educational institutes for at least a month to curb the spread of the virus among students.

Federal Minister Education will hold a press conference today at 12:30 pm after the conclusion of the Inter-Provincial Ministerial meeting to announce the final decision in this regard.

The IPEMC has been meeting for the past two weeks but failed to make a final decision on holidays or school closures due to lack of consensus.

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