Sindh to reopen schools with 100% COVID vaccinated staff from August 30: education minister

• Sardar Shah says schools to operate for six days with 50% attendance.
• The education minister wants increase in vaccination in education sector.
• "We have also allowed vaccinated staff to work in schools," he adds.

Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah said Monday the provincial government would allow schools that have completely vaccinated their staff against coronavirus to operate from August 30.

The government, a day earlier in a late-night notification, had announced that all public and private schools across the province would remain closed till further orders.

Earlier, the provincial government had announced that schools in Sindh would remain closed till August 30.

"We want the rate of vaccination to increase in the education sector," the education minister said while addressing a press conference in the port city.

The provincial minister said the quicker people get vaccinated, the sooner Pakistan could get rid of coronavirus. "We are getting reports that private schools have vaccinated 80% of their staff."

Shah said the government would allow the operation of schools at 50% capacity for six days throughout the week, while regular PCR tests would also be conducted.

"We have also allowed vaccinated staff to work in schools [...] it is the school administration's job to check for parents' vaccination," the minister said.

Shah said 90% of the staff at the Sindh Education Department had been vaccinated.

The provincial minister said parents and students have faced issues due to the coronavirus pandemic, as education took a hit during the period.

"The government always takes decisions in the interest of the parents and children," he said, adding the Sindh Health Department had proposed closing schools for another seven days.

The education minister said private schools had assured the government of completely vaccinating their staff.

"On Friday, the working committee will review the situation [...] no school will open before August 30, and if they do, legal action will be taken against them," he added.