PESHAWAR: Provincial education minister Shahram Khan Tarakai on Monday told the students to properly complete homework and assignments to improve their marks in the annual examinations.

Talking to mediapersons during a visit to Government Higher Secondary School No 1 in the cantonment here on Monday, he said students of all schools in the province were allowed to take only one class a week to be given homework and assignments.

Mr Tarakai directed the school administrations to ensure the staff and the students observed SOPs. Any violation of the instructions will result in legal action against the schools’ administrators, he warned.

Director education Hafiz Mohammad Ibrahim and the Peshawar district education officer also accompanied him.

Mr Tarakai inspected various classes on the occasion and encouraged the students to observe the SOPs.

Responding a question, the minister said the second Covid-19 wave was more dangerous than the earlier one as it had so far claimed hundreds of lives in the province. He said the leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement were playing with the lives of the people.

Referring to provision of facilities in schools, the provincial education minister said parent-teacher councils had been tasked with provision of facilities to schools. He added that about 25,000 vacancies had been advertised for appointment of teachers across the province, including the merged districts.

He said the education department was also taking steps for conducting online classes through WhatsApp groups, other social media outlets and the department’s website.

Mr Tarakai said he was personally monitoring the entire system, adding instructions had also been issued to all the district education officers and education monitoring authority to ensure implementation of SOPs and facilitate the students.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2020