50% homework basis: Punjab govt changes criteria for promotion to next grade

• Students to be promoted on 50% homework basis: Punjab education minister
• Government decides to reopen schools in phases
• 50% students will be called on one day and 50% on another day, says Punjab education minister

LAHORE: Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas announced that students will be promoted to the next grade now on 50% homework basis. 

Read more: Govt decides to reopen schools in phases

The minister was holding a press conference Monday after news broke that schools and educational institutions across Pakistan will reopen in three phases. 

Speaking about the schools closure, Raas said that the coronavirus pandemic had put students at a lot of loss and set them back as far as education was concerned. 

"Coronavirus SOPs will be implemented fully," he said, speaking about the reopening of schools and educational institutions. "Fifty percent of the students will be told to come on one day and 50% on another," added the minister, noting that this policy will be implemented till vaccines aren't available. 

The minister said that promotion to the next grade will be decided on the basis of 50% homework. 

Govt decides to open schools in phases

Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood announced on Monday that schools and educational institutions will reopen across the country in three phases.

"On January 18, classes for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 — those that have exams — will resume," he said during a news conference along with SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan. "This means that students of grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 will go to their schools and colleges from January 18 and their studies will resume."

He said that in the second phase, students of primary classes till grade 8 will return to schools from January 25.

The minister said that universities and other higher education institutions will reopen from February 1 in the third and last phase.

Reopening schedule:

• Online learning can resume from Jan 11
• Classes 9 to 12 would start from Jan 18
• Classes 1 to 8 would start from Jan 25
• Higher education classes at universities and colleges to start from Feb 1
• Board exams have been postponed to May and June
• Another meeting on January 14 to review the situation