Vice Chancellors Recommend to Reopen All the Universities in Phases

The Vice Chancellors of all public sector Universities recommended to reopen the campuses phase wise from July 15, 2020.  A meeting was held by all VCs on Thursday July 25, 2020. The draft of this meeting will be presented to Federal Minister of Education, Shafqat Mehmood, during the interprovincial coordination meeting on July 2.  

It was due to coronavirus pandemic that all educational universities were closed by the government in March. In the meantime, online classes had started by most of the universities to save the precious time of millions of the students. However, a protest campaign had been launched by thousands of students against online classes mainly citing internet connectivity and non-availability of gadgets to attend the classes.

According to the notification issued by Punjab Higher Education Commission, all universities will be reopened in multiple phases from July 15. In the first phase, only faculty members and students having connectivity issues will be called. As far as the second phase is concerned, final year students, graduate students and students with house jobs and other practical requirements will be called from August 03, while science, medicine, and engineering students will be called from August, 17. In third phase, the orientation of new students will be held on Sept. 14, while all old students will be allowed to rejoin campuses from Sept. 15.  

Punjab Higher Education Commission announced proper guidelines and timelines for reopening of the universities based on the pattern, and practices adopted by international universities and Pakistan’s particular conditions, including the governmental directions.