প্রধান শিক্ষক
২৮ নভেম্বর, ২০২০ ১২:৩০ পূর্বাহ্ণ
Pakistan shuts schools to curb new coronavirus infections
Pakistan
shuts schools to curb new coronavirus infections Published : Friday,
27 November, 2020 at 11:37 AM Count : 76 |
Students wear protective masks as they
attend a class at school as the outbreak of the coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) continues, in Peshawar, Pakistan November 23, 2020. Photo: Reuters Pakistan shut its schools and postponed
exams on Thursday to try to curb new coronavirus infections and a rise in
the number of people in hospital with COVID-19. Students, including
those at higher educational institutions as well as in private schools, are
expected to continue classes through distance learning until December 24,
when schools are scheduled to go on winter break until January 11.
"All efforts
will be made to make sure that education continues from home," Education
Minister Shafqat Mahmood said on Monday, announcing the closure of schools,
adding that "if the situation improves" schools would reopen on
January 11. Pakistan reported
3,306 new cases on Wednesday, and 40 deaths from the pandemic, with 2,485
patients currently admitted in hospitals, according to officials. There have
been 386,198 total cases in the country recorded so far, and 7,843 deaths. The decision to
close schools, officials have said, was based on an increase in the rate of
positive test results in the country. The rate of people testing positive in
June was as high as 23%, but dropped to a low of 1.7% by September. It has
since begun to increase again, reaching 7.41% this week. More than 19% of new
cases were from educational institutions, where the rate of positive results
had nearly doubled in one week to reach 3.3%, officials said on Monday. The south Asian
country has ruled out a wide ranging lockdown, opting to close down
non-essential public gatherings in a bid to keep the economy afloat through
the pandemic. "We do not know
what this winter is going to be like, so there is a bit of worry right now
because our cases are rising up quite rapidly these days," Prime
Minister Imran Khan told an event organised by the World Economic Forum on
Wednesday.
"We are going
to only lock down the non essential, in other words the public gatherings and
so on where our economy doesn't get hurt."
Pakistan closed
educational institutions between March and September to combat the spread of
the virus. State television and radio stations were used to broadcast lessons
for students at home for students in government schools. |