ISLAMABAD: The government has convened an Inter-Provincial Education Ministers’ Conference (lPEMC) on January 4, 2021 to review the situation in the aftermath of coronavirus pandemic, and discuss reopening of educational institutes.

The 25th IPEMC was earlier scheduled for December 30 (Wednesday); however, the meeting has now been postponed, and rescheduled for January 4.

Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood will be chairing the meeting which will be held through video link.

The meeting agenda includes, (i) health updates on respective provinces/regions by the Ministry of NHSR&C; (ii) discussion on reopening of educational institutes; (iii) school and board examinations to be held in last week of May and early June 2021 to allow for the completion of academic course work; (iv) reduction in spring and summer vacations; (v) new academic session of 2021-22 to begin from August 2021; (vi) implementation status of the Council of Common Interest (CCI)’s decision on the BECS and NCHD; and (vii) inputs on the National Education Policy.

Talking to media, the education minister said that an Inter-Provincial Education Ministry meeting has been convened on January 4.

The meeting will review the situation and make a decision.

“In particular, we will make decisions based on coronavirus situation and the health of the children. We are trying to open schools. The final decision will be made after the report of the Ministry of Health,” he added.

Mehmood said the government was ready for the PDM’s long march.

The PDM’s own internal differences were not going away, said the minister, adding that differences had emerged in the JUI.

Maulana Sherani and Maulana Hafiz Hussain Ahmed have spoken against the JUI chief.

He further said that there were differences in the PML-N.

They were not getting resignations, said the minister, adding the opposition, which had its own internal differences, would not be able to do anything.

On November 23, the federal government had announced to close all educational institutes from November 26 to December 24 due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

“It has been decided to close all educational institutions across Pakistan from November 26 till December 24, and winter vacations will start from December 25 to January 10,” Shafqat Mahmood had announced at a press conference after a meeting of the inter-provincial education ministers.

President of the All Pakistan Private School Federation (APPSF), Kashif Mirza, has warned that a long march would be staged to Islamabad if schools are not reopened on 11 January as per the education ministers’ decision.

The APPSF chief reiterated that the federation would reject the government’s decision for the schools to remain closed. He further declared that unlike the examinations that had been conducted during the last academic year, this time, the students would not be promoted to the next classes without them having taken examinations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020