24 coronavirus cases reported in Faisalabad schools

A total of 21 students and three teachers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Faisalabad.

According to the district commissioner, eight students and a teacher tested positive for the virus on Monday.

Following this, a micro-smart lockdown has been imposed in the affected schools. The process of random sampling and contract tracing of other students, teachers, and staff at different schools has begun as well.

Pakistan reopened classes nine to 12 on January 18 after a closure of over a month.

In a recent NCOC meeting, the education ministers of all provinces agreed that no students will be passed until they appear for their exams this year. For this reason, grades nine to 12 were reopened earlier as these students will soon be appearing for assessments.

Pakistan schools and coronavirus

All educational institutions across the country were closed in late February after coronavirus cases began to rise. They were reopened in phases starting September 15.

Universities, colleges, and classes IX and X resumed from September 15. Students from classes VI to VIII were called to schools from September 23 and the students enrolled below class VI started from September 30.

To compensate for the lost time, Pakistan’s educational institutions decided to remain open on Saturdays and not have winter vacations.

On November 23, after the second wave of coronavirus cases hit the country, the government announced that all educational institutions would close again from November 26.

Classes were taken online till December 24 and winter vacations started from December 25 and lasted till January 10. The government said it would hold a meeting to review the decision to reopen schools on January 4.

The NCOC then decided that schools would reopen in phases with classes nine to 12 being the first to reopen on January 18. The government has announced to resume primary classes and universities from February 1.