PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday extended the closure of public and private schools until May 31 due to uncertain situation arising out of the Covid-19 outbreak.

It also decided that the duration of the schools’ closure would be considered as advance summer vacation.

The board examinations and internal examination and assessment of schools were also postponed until May 31.

The government had ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the province for 15 days on March 13 in line with the cabinet’s decision. The closure was extended on March 24 until April 5.

An official told Dawn that the schools’ closure had been extended in line with the federal government’s decision to halt the spread of coronavirus.

According to a notification of the elementary and secondary education department, the government has ordered all schools to remain closed until May 31 in continuation of the March 13 and 24 notifications with the period being treated as advance summer vacation.

It said the board examinations or any other internal exams and assessment in schools would stand postponed until May 31.

The board examinations for ninth and 10th grades had begun on March 13 but they’re delayed the next day as the government ordered the closure of schools.

The Private Schools Regulatory Authority issued a separate notification asking private schools and colleges to remain closed until the end of May in line with the government’s decision.

The higher education department will issue the notification regarding extension of the closure of public and private colleges and universities in the province today (Tuesday), an official said.

The government schools have conducted internal examinations from Grade 1 to Grade 8 early this month but exam results weren’t declared due to the closure of schools.

Private schools have sent the exam results of most students to their parents by SMS.

However, the results of the students, who haven’t tuition fee for few months, have been withheld.

Asked about school timings in the sizzling months of June, July and August as students won’t have summer break during the period, the relevant official said the education department hadn’t decided about it yet.

He, however, said the number of class periods could be reduced with the school timings likely to be 7pm-11pm.

The parents demanded of the government to ask private schools not to take monthly fee during the closure of schools due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

Several parents told Dawn that the government should force private schools to charge students half of the fee if it couldn’t stop private schools from taking fee.

The parents also launched a campaign on social media urging the government to stop private schools from charging fee during the closure of schools.

A senior official in the Private Schools Regulatory Authority claimed that the law didn’t have any provision to stop private schools from charging fee during vacation.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2020