Pakistan’s Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said late on Thursday that the College of Cambridge International Examination (CIE) had agreed to postpone O-level exams in Pakistan until May 15 due to the growing number of coronavirus cases.
Earlier this week, Mahmood announced that all educational establishments in areas with high coronavirus positivity rates would remain closed until April 11, when a third wave of the disease spread across the country.
“After extensive discussions, Cambridge has agreed to postpone the O-level exam until May 15. Details will be provided later,” Mahmood said on Twitter. However, tests “A” and “As” are performed after all SOPs according to the original schedule. I wish everyone the best of luck with the exams.
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Mahmood tweeted earlier today, “Educational institutions have been closed on the advice of health authorities. Trial decisions are made to see what is best for them. Have faith.
At a press conference Wednesday, Mahmood said the government is aware that school closures are affecting children’s education, “but we are also concerned about their health.”
Earlier this month, the government announced a two-week spring break for educational institutions in Peshawar, Islamabad and several cities in Punjab province to help manage the growing number of COVID-19 infections.
The hiatus would end on March 26, but federal and state authorities decided to rethink the situation as the number of active coronavirus cases has doubled in the past three weeks and the rate of positivity is over eight percent.
In a separate statement on Monday, Mahmood said he was not in favor of closing educational facilities, but the government considered the risk of the coronavirus spreading in schools high.
“50 million children are associated with education,” he said, “and if someone got infected, the disease would spread.”
