Educational institutions reopen in Balochistan
Education Desk :
QUETTA: Educational institutions reopened in Balochistan after eight months on Tuesday. In March this year, all educational institutions closed following the outbreak of the Coronavirus in the country.
On the first day, attendance was low. Social distancing adopted in schools located in the heart of the city. “We are happy to be back”, Muhammad Zubair, a student of class 10th said. Zubair studies in Quetta’s ancient Sandeman High School. All the students in the school were wearing masks and adopted social-distancing in their classes in Sandeman School. The school administration too provided masks to students. “I will try to recover all lost time”, Zubair said.
Attendance low on the first day
In the first phase, universities, colleges, and the high sections of schools have been reopened. The attendance of students appears to be low in universities and colleges too. “The government has decided to reopen all educational institutions phase-wise”, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, the Balochistan education minister told reporters on Tuesday. He visited Sandeman High School Quetta and met students and teachers.
Officials from UNICEF and members of civil society were also present on the occasion.
Under a smart course, we would complete the classes within two months, Naseer Shah, the Principal of the Sandeman High School said. “We will try to complete courses within two months”, he said. Special wash-hands arrangements have also been made for students.
The number of educational institutions including universities, colleges, and schools is over 16,000 in Balochistan. The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) finalized for all institutions, Liaquat Shahwani, the Spokesman government of Balochistan said.
The Balochistan government also formed committees on the district level comprising officials to ensure the implementation of SOPs in schools. The education department has also provided basic training to principals, headmasters regarding the novel coronavirus.
Schools across Balochistan paint a bleak picture
Students and teachers adopted SOPs in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. However, in rural Balochistan, SOPs can not be implemented since the education department’s statistics revealed that 8,188 schools had no wash-room facility. “Over 11,000 schools have no drinking water facility”, Sher Khan Bazai, the Secretary Education Balochistan said.
