The second wave of the novel coronavirus has proven to be deadlier than its first outbreak in Pakistan in March this year. Following Monday’s meeting, it has now been unanimously decided that all educational institutions will remain closed in the country from November 26 till January 10 due to the rapidly increasing Covid-19 positivity ratio, Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said. “All ministers have mutually decided that to keep all educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, and tuition centres closed. However, online classes will continue from November 26 to December 24 after which winter break will start. Schools will reopen on January 11, 2021,” he noted.
As per the meeting, the last day of online classes is December 24, 2020. Winter vacations will begin from December 25, 2020, until January 10, 2021. Professional exams including MDCAT 2020 would be held as per schedule while board exams will be pushed to June. Mahmood mentioned that a review session will be held in the first week of January before the reopening of schools. He added that school examinations scheduled during the period have also been postponed and will commence from January 15. “Ministers for Education decide to close schools from November 26th. Online education will continue till 24 December. Winter Vacations start from 25th December till 11th January,” read a tweet posted by journalist Mansoor Ali Khan today.
Earlier, the National Command Operation Center (NCOC) revealed that the coronavirus positivity ratio in educational institutions had witnessed an increase from 1.8% to 3.3% during the last one week, an actual 82% increase. “We are recommending online education,” Mahmood said earlier, adding that teachers will come to schools and will stay in touch with students. Mahmood said that at those educational institutes where facilities for online education are not available, students will come to school one day of the week and take their homework.
The announcement has led to a bevy of reactions pouring in from Twitter users. Some are making memes about how thrilled school students would be about the latest announcement while others feel university students will not be too happy! Mahmood is also now being called every student’s “favourite person of the year.”
Students most favourite person of the year ?? pic.twitter.com/lZavTxJoEU
— Ahmad (@AhmadRaza_AR) November 23, 2020
#ShafqatMahmood #CloseEducationalInstitions #CloseSchoolsNOW
?? pic.twitter.com/vhoZgxKkAw— Shahid Hussain (@SDhussain_678) November 23, 2020
SHAFQAT Uncle directly going to Jannat-ul-Fidous without Hisab Kitab:#ShafqatMahmood pic.twitter.com/wKDFZ2xkPK
— MarjanK?? (@MarjanKhalid1) November 23, 2020
— Abdul wahab ?? (@Abdulwa86626348) November 23, 2020
Students right now pic.twitter.com/XjzbEZsdeY
— Jalal Qazi (@JalalQazi) November 23, 2020
. @Shafqat_Mahmood ??????? pic.twitter.com/3X6KO0L1LG
— Arnold (@dapakiguy92) November 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/AmmarSays101/status/1330802787794489344
Students to Shafqat Mahmood
Kash ap mery walid hoty. pic.twitter.com/pKodj3Ar64— VJ (@UthJaoMohsina) November 23, 2020
Le student right now??#ShafqatMahmood pic.twitter.com/DnZDc4xJSh
— ?????ZiYaD???????(Limit) (@i_amZiyad) November 23, 2020
Shafqat Mahmood to Mdcat #Mdcat Students //- pic.twitter.com/yXv1OHDzVE
— ???????? (@iiZub22) November 23, 2020
Me to #ShafqatMahmood pic.twitter.com/ErNwQSIdyb
— aTahira (@Atahira_) November 23, 2020
Students rn*#ShafqatMahmood #schools #university pic.twitter.com/cSsm6raL4e
— Areeba Khan (@khanareebazai) November 23, 2020
Students to their university campuses right now:#ShafqatMahmood pic.twitter.com/L37abuSBIe
— NAB? (@eel00000) November 23, 2020
Student to Shafqat mehmood::#ShafqatMahmood #CloseEducationalInstitions pic.twitter.com/zJAahUJlA3
— Rimsha_Qureshi (@Rimestic97) November 23, 2020
If elections would have announced today #ShafqatMahmood could easily won all the 272 seats ?
— Samad Chaudhary (@SamadChaudhary4) November 23, 2020
Allah log ho tum yar @Shafqat_Mahmood Lambi umar(age) pao tum .Aik tum he ho jisy students ka khayal ha. pic.twitter.com/B3yu77j2Rh
— M. Zeeshan Ali (@MZeesha12208000) November 23, 2020
Thanku? shafu uncle pic.twitter.com/svCNvpQiRN
— ??AAMNA ? (@PK_OT7genreStan) November 23, 2020
Sir you know we study ?
— S A A D (@AlfieShalom) November 23, 2020
#ShafqatMahmood
Apsacian right now? pic.twitter.com/YEKXDE6ZWG— D£FAULT€®? (@DFAULT05840031) November 23, 2020
sir @Shafqat_Mahmood pic.twitter.com/75lOYPjpz7
— Noshad Baloch?? (@MugheriNoshad) November 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/AyEsHaR58439802/status/1330799974301507584/photo/1
After watching the happiness of students on the closure of universities i came to know why our nation is so incompetent as compared to other countries. We dont want education, we dont wanna work, what do we want from life?#ShafqatMahmood
— Ahsan Minhax (@De_Ahsan_Minhax) November 23, 2020
Great Decision, ??
— Abbas Kakar (@AbbasKakar17) November 23, 2020
Students from all over Pakistan ?? to @Shafqat_Mahmood our beloved education minister ?? "Confirm Jannati" ? ? #Shafqatmehmood #CloseEducationalInstitions pic.twitter.com/jtkSd00BgI
— Fahad Khalid (@FahadKh92677916) November 23, 2020
Sab bacho ka ik hi Naara, Shafqat Mehmood sb leader hamara… ????
— MANSOOR (@mansoorktk) November 23, 2020
@Shafqat_Mahmood love you sir….??? https://t.co/0pq7gw8iK8
— Ihtisham Arif (@IhtishamArif343) November 23, 2020
Shukriaaa sir
— Fahad niaZi (@Fahadni10639058) November 23, 2020
#ShafqatMahmood #PakistanZindabad https://t.co/0Xi0AQqmix pic.twitter.com/bFmv2sKrUt
— ????? ? (@i_m_SARKAR__) November 23, 2020
