Coronavirus outbreak: Sindh's schools may not open for another six months, says education minister

Sindh education minister Saeed Ghani on Tuesday said that schools may not reopen for another six months and a new online curriculum will soon be introduced, as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus outbreak.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the education minister said that the government "will not take the risk to send children to school".

He said that schools in Sindh will not reopen on June 1 and that a new date will be notified later.

"Shafqat Mehmood himself is saying that there are some hurdles in promoting students of matriculation and intermediate," he said, referring to the federal minister for education.

He said that the matriculation and intermediate board rules dictate that no one be promoted without having taken the final examination.

"We don't want the students to face any legal trouble later," he said.

He said that it had been decided to promote students of class 1 to class 8 but that there were problems in enforcing this decision as well.

"For children to be promoted, their previous class's performance will have to be evaluated. If someone has not cleared a subject, an examination for that subject will have to be held after things improve," said Ghani.

The education minister said that a committee had been formed to iron out all the issues.

He said that the coronavirus outbreak has made it mandatory for everyone to bring about changes to their lifestyles.

"We cannot keep schools closed indefinitely; we need to keep in mind children's education."

He said in this regard, an online curriculum will be introduced and other models to ensure children's education does not take a hit are also being considered.

A National Coordination Committee had convened on Thursday on the matter of bring about changes to the coronavirus lockdown. It was decided that restrictions would be eased beginning May 9.

It was also decided that schools would remain closed till  July 15.