Education ministers to discuss coronavirus situation in schools today

• The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference will be held today to discuss the COVID-19 situation in schools.
  
• The participants will discuss the start of the new academic session, reopening of schools in light of the current COVID-19 situation.
  
• Provincial education ministers and the relevant senior officials will attend the meeting via video link.

ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) will be held today (Wednesday) to discuss the COVID-19 situation in schools after the resumption of in-person classes in Punjab and Islamabad on Monday, The News reported.

Federal Minister for Education and Vocational Training Shafqat Mahmood will preside over the meeting.

All the provincial education ministers and the relevant senior officials will attend the meeting via video link.

The participants will discuss the start of the new academic session, reopening of schools in light of the current COVID-19 situation, and vaccination of schoolteachers and other staff members, according to the federal education ministry.

Actions to strengthen performance for inclusive and responsive education, funding, coordination, and reporting will also come under discussion.

Last week, the government decided not to extend school summer vacation and said all schools would reopen on August 2. It was decided that the examinations for the grade 9 and 10 would be held as per schedule.

However in Sindh, all exams were suspended after the lockdown was imposed in the province on July 31. The education department will now announce new dates after the restrictions are lifted.