Punjab Education Minister Dr. Murad Raas has rejected the rumors that government schools in Punjab will be open for students from August 15, 2020.
According to the details, it was being rumored out there that Dr. Murad Raas had announced the date for the reopening of the schools in Punjab.
In a recent tweet, the provincial education minister has rejected such reports and has clarified that he did not announce the date rather he just shared the information that if the situation would be manageable, Punjab’s schools could be opened from August 15.
Dr Murad Raas tweeted “FAKE NEWS: No date has been announced for the opening of Schools in Punjab. What I have said is that if the Conditions of COVID 19 are manageable, only then we will try to open by August 15, 20 under very strict SOPs. I will not endanger the lives of our Children or our Teachers.”
FAKE NEWS: No date has been Announced for opening of Schools in Punjab. What I have said is that if the Conditions of COVID 19 are manageable, only then we will try to open by August 15, 20 under very strict SOPs. I will not endanger the lives of our Children or our Teachers.
— Murad Raas (@DrMuradPTI) July 4, 2020
According to the tweet from the official twitter handle of the provincial education minister, the government will try to open the schools from August 15 if the situation is manageable at that time.
The tweet further states that if the schools are opened, they will be opened with strict SOPs.
Dr. Murad Raas also stated that he would not make any decision that might endanger the lives of the children and teachers.
According to the prior notification from the Ministry of Education, the schools in Punjab would be opened from July 15 but the provincial education minister had been cited as saying that there was no chance of opening the schools from July 15 keeping in view the spread of coronavirus in Punjab.
Dr. Murad Raas had also conveyed that Schools Education Department (SED) had been working on developing SOPs for the schools and these SOPs would be strictly followed after the opening of schools in Punjab for the safety of students and teachers both.
He also said that if the schools are opened, the classes will be held in different shifts so that physical distancing could be followed in the classrooms.
Private school owners are also waiting for the government to reopen the schools as they are facing serious financial constraints due to the closure of schools.
The schools are offering online studies but most of the parents are not satisfied with the quality of teaching and they are not paying fees causing a threat to the survival of the private schools.
Though the government is seriously planning and thinking of reopening the schools, there are mixed responses from the parents about this.
Some are satisfied with the government’s decisions and are waiting for the reopening of the schools but there is a majority of the parents who have not shown their consent to send their kids to schools.
They are of the opinion that it’s very risky sending their kids to schools when coronavirus is still there.
It is important to mention here that coronavirus is still spreading at a certain pace but the number of recovered patients has exceeded the number of active patients.
