Several schools closed in Quetta, Gwadar, Zhob after reports of COVID19
Staff Reporter :
Several schools closed down in Quetta, Gwadar, and Zhob districts after teachers and students tested positive for the COVID19. Three schools closed in Quetta after their students and teachers contracted the deadly virus.
“We have closed down three schools in Quetta”, Liaquat Shahwani, the Spokesman government of Balochistan said. He said the administration has closed schools after students and teachers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
As per the statistics shared by the education department, the number of students and teachers testing positive continues to increase every day. The Balochistan government had opened government-run high schools from September 15 in light of the decision of the federal government.
Teachers tested positive in Gwadar
“Some teachers have also tested positive for COVID19 in Gwadar”, Sher Khan Bazai, the Secretary Secondary Education Department Balochistan told the daily Quetta Voice. Mr. Bazai said the non-governmental organizations had provided masks and sanitizers to government-run schools in Quetta, Mastung, and Pishin.
“Implementing SOPs in middle and primary sections would be difficult for us”, he said. Mr. Bazai also lamented that the health department had not provided masks and sanitizers to government-run schools in remote areas of Balochistan.
Ali Khan Mandokhail adds: Seven teachers and students also tested positive for the deadly virus in Zhob district of Balochistan. Muhammad Shafiq Mandokhail, the headmaster of a primary school in Zhob lamented that the health department failed to provide masks and sanitizers to students and teachers.
“Tall claims made but practically nothing on the ground”, Mr. Mandokhail said in a video message. The health department had taken the blood samples of 50 teachers and students to conduct their coronavirus tests. However, the laboratory has confirmed that seven teachers and students tested positive for the virus on Friday.
The Balochistan government had formed three-member committees on the district level to ensure implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in government-run schools.Â