Higher Education Commission Issues Guidelines About the Closure of Educational Institutes

The higher education commission of Pakistan has provided the guidelines for the closure of educational institutes. Earlier in the meeting of the National Command and Operation Center, it was announced that all the educational institutes including the colleges, schools, universities, tuition centers, and similar entities will remain closed from 26th November to 10th January. However, it is also directed to all the academic institutions to arrange online classes for the students and deliver education to them by using the technology. According to the issued notification, the institutes are scheduled to open on January 11, 2021. But the session will be held in the first week of January to discuss the situation of the coronavirus and to decide the reopening of the academic institutes. 

Categories of Students

• As per the instructions of HEC, the following students are permitted to visit the campus
• Low-income students having issues with internet connectivity 
• Foreign students
• Ph.D., MPhil, or final year students who are completing their thesis work and using the laboratories for practical experiments. 
• Third and higher year medical students who required to get clinical training
• Faculty members can visit universities for recording and delivering lectures to the students

Instructions By HEC

Furthermore, the university has informed all the students and the staff members to follow the COVID-19 standard operating procedures in the wake of the pandemic. HEC said that in "in no coronavirus case" the total number of the students allowed to visit the campus should exceed 30% of the enrollment. The officials have declared the policy for the students that can enter the campus. Now almost all the institutes are adopting the online mode of education to teach the students. So the HEC has released Rs.10 million to support the public sector universities so that they can make the arrangements to improve the quality of the education and work on the technology-related problems.