LAHORE: Punjab Minister Murad Raas on Tuesday warned that the schools might be closed if coronavirus standard operating procedures (SOPs) were not implemented effectively.

He was addressing a press conference at DGPR Office about different measures taken to open the schools and promote education in the province. Special Assistant to CM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan was also present.

Mr Raas said the government had consulted all stakeholders for two months to open schools, colleges and universities as the students were facing learning losses.

He said the school education department had taken steps and started an Accelerated Learning Programme to cover losses of the students.

He said previously all the students were promoted to next classes without any examination but the department had developed a new methodology to assess the students. “The students will have to get 50 per cent marks by completing their assigned homework and they will have to take MCQs-based exams for the remaining 50pc marks,” he said.

The minister said during the last two months, the department had taken steps to disinfect the schools and also organised training for teachers.

“We also contacted parents and school councils and assured them that no child would come to school without wearing a face mask,” he said.

Commenting about providing relief to parents and schools, he said the department could not announce fee concession in the second wave because 70pc of private schools had less than Rs5,000 fee per month and most of them were on the verge of permanent closure [due to concession in fee].

Discussing the increasing number of dropouts, he said the government would start a national level massive campaign from Feb 1 to bring out-of-school children back.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2021