NUZHAT NAZAR

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood on Wednesday said that the government had decided to postpone all examinations including those of boards and the Cambridge system till the first of June, amid fear of coronavirus outbreak in the country.

This was announced at a news conference here.

The minister said the foreign institutions as well as domestic boards were bound to implement the government’s decisions.

He said if the situation improved, the examination boards might conduct the postponed exams between 1st June and 15th July.

Mahmood said due to delay in exams, the universities had also been directed to delay their admissions.

The minister said that all the schools including public and private as well as seminaries had been closed till 5th of next month as per the decision of the National Security Committee.

He said that it would be decided on the 27th of this month whether or not the educational institutes would be reopened.

Mahmood said arrangements were also being made to engage the students in their homes through online lectures in case the schools were further closed.

In this regard, technology support and content committees have also been set up.

Mahmood said all cultural events had also been postponed due to the current situation.

The minister said the federal government was working in cohesion with the provinces to take all possible measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

He said the decision to evacuate students from university hostels had been implemented.

However, the minister explained that international students were exempted from this decision.