With primary schools set to reopen today (Wednesday) in the twin cities in the third phase of educational institutions reopening after a long break due to coronavirus, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has instructed all area education officers to visit at least seven schools daily and ensure that health guidelines and standard operating procedure (SOP) are being followed strictly.
As per reports, a total of 193 FDE-run primary schools in Islamabad will reopen.
FDE officials said that a team of FDE directors and officers from the Ministry of Federal Education and the capital administration will also visit schools. They added that teams from the Private Educational Institution Regulatory Authority (Peira) will also visit primary schools.
Officials further said that imposing social distancing would be more challenging in primary schools compared to high schools, colleges or universities, particularly with students in nursery to third grade, which is why teachers will have to put an extra effort.
Islamabad-based educational institutions have reported more than 30 cases of COVID-19 out of around 15,000 tests.
Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mehmood said that the positivity rate is 0.8pc in educational institutions across the country.
At a press conference in Islamabad, he said that out of 171,436 tests carried out in educational institutions – not including primary schools – 1,284 have come back positive for the virus.
He said school administrations, teachers and parents must be more attentive from Wednesday, when primary schools reopen, because young children cannot follow SOPs and practice social distancing on their own.
