Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood on Sunday announced that a decision regarding further closure or opening of educational institutes will be taken on April 6th.

The education minister shared that decision will be taken by the mutual consensus of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) and the education department. Whatever the decision may be, it will be a collective decision, he further added.

"Education and Health Ministers will meet at the NCOC Tuesday to decide whether to open or further close educational institutions. The exam situation will also be discussed. Whatever is decided will be a collective decision of the country’s health and education authorities and NCOC."

The decision will be taken after carefully reviewing the COVID-19 situation as the country struggles with the third wave of infectious disease. Pakistan had announced to re-open all educational institutions in March this year after almost a year of online education due to coronavirus.

However, in March, as the third wave started to peak, schools in multiple districts were forced to close down once again till April 11.

The third wave of COVID-19 is proving to be more deadly and infectious as per the NCOC. Pakistan on Sunday reported the highest number of critical patients admitted to hospital since the pandemic began a year ago.

The reported national positivity has also surged up. Pakistan has reported 5,020 new confirmed cases, 81 deaths, and a positivity ratio of 9.02% in the last 24 hours.