Press Release

Islamabad: 21 meeting of Inter Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) held under the chair of Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Thursday in Islamabad. Provincial Education Ministers and respective Secretaries, Chairman HEC, Chairman IBCC, and representatives from FGEI, Navy and Air force participated in the meeting through video link.

Director General National Health Services Dr. Safi Malik gave a detailed presentation to the forum on existing covid situation in the country. Similarly all provinces share the data of positivity rate of COVID cases in schools and colleges which was ranging from 1 to 2 percent scarcely, hence the forum was satisfied with controlled situations in educational institutions.

Keeping in view the overall situation, the largest Education forum of the country unanimously, ruled out the closure of educational institutions. It was agreed that the targeted closure of institutions where the infection rate increases would be carried out with the help of local management.

As far winter vacations is concerned, the forum opposed the long winter vacations, and recommended it for limited period of the time by the end of December so that the students may cover their courses. It is pertinent to mention that the regular academic year before Covid-19 was of 32 weeks which now has been condensed to 11 weeks only, so there is no rational of long vacations.

Federal Minister Shafqat Mahmood sought the proposals from all the federating units in next 15 days about uniform academic calendar across the country. Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood, keeping in view the loss of students during 6 months closure of schools due to Covid-19, also asked the proposals from all federating units about moving academic year from April to August, atleast for current academic year.

Federal Minister also advised all the provinces to ensure strict compliance of SoPs in educational institutions. Federal Minister will brief the NCOC, tomorrow about the decisions taken in today’s IPEMC.

November 05,2020.