Govt to reopen educational institutions from Sept 15 with SOPs only if health situation improve: Shafqat Mahmood.

ISLAMABAD -- All education institutions, including universities, will reopen from September 15 if the health situation of the country improved, said Minister for Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday.

While addressing a press conference at the Press Information Department (PID) in Islamabad, the minister said that the government will review its decision in the first week of September by monitoring the situation in the country by taking a look at the 'health indicators' and take a final decision in this regard.

Shafqat Mahmood said that it had been decided to allow schools to call its administration staff before September 15 and announced that trainings will be conducted to ensure that SOPs are implemented.

He said that provinces will be responsible for ensuring SOPs that are followed, cautioning schools to follow the procedures laid out by the government. "It is my request to private schools, especially, that the SOPs that you will have to follow will be the ones made by the government," he said.

The minister said that universities had recommended to the government that PhD students should be allowed, in a limited quantity, to universities. "How they decide to call students, we leave it up to the universities," he said.

He touched upon the problems faced by students in some areas where there was a lack of internet facilities, saying that some students were unable to study properly due to it.

Shafqat Mahmood said that educational institutions had advised the government to allow examinations to be held. "We have received suggestions to allow the holding of exams for medical students and university admission tests," he said.

The minister announced that the...