Sindh's private schools to allow parents to pay fees in instalments

KARACHI: The private schools' associations announced on Saturday that they will give concessions and allow parents to pay fees for their children in instalments in view of economic difficulties brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and resultant lockdowns.

Ahead of the reopening of schools from September 28, various private schools associations in a joint press conference assured the government that the school staff will wear masks at all times. They added that the school management will also check the temperature of the students before they enter the school.

“Children will be called in shifts or on alternate days,” said Haider Ali a leader of the association. He added that they have also decided to suspend break times and sports days in schools.

Meanwhile, Shehzad Akhtar, another leader of the association appealed to the parents to send their children with a mask, lunch and a water bottle.

Earlier today, Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani met the office bearers of a private schools association and discussed the reopening of schools.

Also read: Children in a limbo as Sindh ministers issue conflicting comments on reopening of schools

During the meeting, Ghani told the office bearers of the association that all schools will have to ensure that the government-issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) are followed. He added that strict action will be taken against schools that violate the safety measures outlined.

“Our first priority is to save the children from this pandemic,” Ghani told the association, adding that there will be no compromise on the health of the children.

The minister said that he was “happy” that the association had assured its cooperation, adding that it was only with cooperation between the government, school administration and parents that the situationcan be improved.

A day earlier, the Sindh minister announced that all classes below the eighth grade will resume on September 28 and not the slightest bit of violation of safety protocols on the part of school administration will be tolerated.

"Pre-primary, primary and secondary classes have all been allowed to go to back to school," he said.

Also read: Schools shut due to violation of safety rules, not surge in infections: education minister

He explained that there had been no disruption as such in the reopening of schools and that it was only the second phase of reopening that had been delayed by only a week.

Ghani said that the schools that were sealed were due to two reasons: if a coronavirus case was found in school staff, or if children had been asked to rejoin at a time when the permission by the government had not been granted.

"Now as we resume the reopening of schools, Sindh has decided that very strict enforcement of safety measures will be ensured," he warned.