Shafqat Mehmood, the Federal Education Minister, tested positive for coronavirus.
Shafqat revealed he had contracted the infection on Twitter, claiming he is “fine with mild symptoms.”
He tweeted, “InshAllah will get well soon.”
I have tested positive for coronavirus. I feel fine with mild symptoms. InshAllah will get well soon.
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) May 25, 2021
The minister had attended an event on Tuesday morning before being diagnosed with the virus. Usman Dar, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistant, was also present at the gathering, along with others.
According to reports, Shafqat had been screened for the virus earlier after experiencing minor symptoms.
Instead of isolating himself, the minister attended the function, where, as the ceremony’s chief guest, he even came to the stage and talked to the youth and some officials present.
The minister had presided over the Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC) the day before, which had agreed to postpone exams for grades 10 and 12 until after June 20.
According to a press release released after the conference, summer holidays will be restricted, and the province will choose how many leaves to give as they see fit.
Chairman of the IPEMC, Shafqat, had urged all federal units to ensure that students, supervisory officers, and other administrative personnel were vaccinated in a timely manner.
It was decided that no student would be promoted without examinations this year and that examinations would be conducted “at all costs”.
Mahmood urged all federal units to focus on ensuring the timely vaccination of teachers, examination, and administrative staff, adding that those who did not have a certificate of vaccination would not be called for invigilation duties.
The meeting also discussed the handing over of staff of Basic Education Community Schools and National Commission for Human Development schools to provinces after
June 30 with committee chairman Mahmood asking the provinces to issue a notification regarding the devolvement soon.
All professional and non-professional exams would take place on a case-to-case basis as recommended by the Ministry of Education, according to the forum. Mahmood said authorities could write to the education ministry’s secretary with details of exam centres, a number of students and SOPs to be followed. If all arrangements are satisfactory permission will be given promptly, he had tweeted.
Educational and tourist activities were restored in several parts of the country on Monday following the National Command and Operation Centre’s fresh directives to ease restrictions imposed in view of the Covid situation.
