ISLAMABAD: The government has decided that the educational institutions will remain closed in the selected districts including Islamabad till April 11 due to the rising cases of coronavirus.

A decision to this effect was taken at a joint meeting of education and health ministers headed by Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood here on Wednesday.

Later briefing the media persons, the education minister said keeping in view the coronavirus situation, the provincial governments will decide the districts where the educational institutions will remain closed.

Shafqat Mahmood said that the coronavirus situation is very serious in certain districts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir. However, the intensity of the virus is relatively less in Sindh, Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.

The education minister recalled that earlier the educational institutions were closed from March 15 to 28 in some districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as the federal capital in the light of spike in Covid-19 cases.

Shafqat Mahmood said they are cognizant of the fact that the closure of educational institutions is affecting the education of children. However, he said the health of children is our priority.

The Minister said that the next meeting of the education and health ministers will be held on April 7 to review the whole situation and then take the decision accordingly.

Shafqat Mahmood said board examinations of classes nine, ten, eleven and twelve will be held as per the timetable.