ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Wednesday discussed testing strategy for educational institutions after recommencement expected from September 15 to in time detection of disease spread and pandemic hotspots.

The NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar took stock of update on meeting related to opening up of schools and testing strategy for educational institutions.

Speaking on the occasion, Asad Umar said the sequence designed to open up educational institutions had been agreed by the Ministry of Education. However, the next major challenge was to enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) and health guidelines in around 300,000 educational institutions across the country and all focus should be made in this regard.

The Forum was apprised that a four-strand strategy was devised for testing in educational institutions.

The Forum was briefed the strategy had been formed keeping in view the 20 major high risk cities with 76 percent of the total COVID cases reported in the country.

It added that the students under this strategy would be randomly screened whereas screening of the teachers would be carried out on periodic basis.—APP