Educational institutes to reopen from tomorrow

All public and private sectors educational institutions will reopen in the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after an extended break following a brutal Taliban attack in Peshawar. All Pakistan Private School Management Association has announced to reopen the schools from Monday, 12th January making it clear that they would not accept any forced leaves come what may.
In an announcement, President of the Association Ibrar Ahmad Khan said that if the administration tried to forcibly shut the schools, they would challenge it in the High Court. He said more than 50% schools have fulfilled the security requirements and the others are in process of doing so. Meanwhile, Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said Pak Army, Pakistan Rangers Sindh and Sindh Police were fully prepared to secure schools and colleges in the province especially in the metropolis. With regard to the security of schools and colleges, President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Sindh Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had already given plain instructions, which the authorities concerned and the security forces of the country and the law enforcement agencies would ensure in letter and spirit.
The Karachi Commissioner stated this in a press briefing at the Karachi Commissioner Office Saturday. Sindh Secretary Education Dr Fazlullah Pechuho and Karachi Police Chief Additional Inspector General of Police Ghulam Qadir Thebo were also present.
Our staff reporter from Lahore adds: Punjab Minister for Education Rana Mashood on Saturday said that all the public, private schools, colleges and universities in Punjab will reopen from January 12. He also said that Punjab government will take strict action against those educational institutions which will not follow standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding security measures.
He stated this while addressing the press conference along with Vice Chancellors of public, private universities and the heads of the educational institutes of the province at Government College University Lahore here on Saturday. He said that the government has taken a decision of starting the National Cadets Corps (NCC) training in the colleges of the Punjab keeping in view the extraordinary security situation in the country. Mashood said that government has issued SOP to all the educational intuitions of the Punjab regarding ensuring the security of the students.