Pakistan has decided to resume five-day classes in schools starting March 1, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood confirmed.
He said that the restrictions were imposed in some major cities to conduct staggered classes till February 28.
The schools and universities resumed on January 18 with 50% strength and students were being called in on alternate days.
The educational institutions have been told to ensure implementation of SOPs. Schools must check the temperatures of students at the entrance and ensure social distancing. Classrooms and halls at schools and colleges should be sanitised, and hand sanitisers should be installed at multiple points inside the campuses.
Pakistan schools and coronavirus
All educational institutions across the country were closed late February 2020 after coronavirus cases began to rise. They were reopened in phases starting September 15, 2020.
On November 23, 2020 after the second wave of coronavirus cases hit the country, the government announced that all educational institutions would close again from November 26,2020.
Classes were taken online till December 24, 2020 and winter vacations started from December 25, 2020 and were supposed to last 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.