Punjab: 50% office staff to work from home

As a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the Punjab government has directed public and private offices in the province to ensure that 50 percent of the workers work from home.
The new order comes into effect immediately and will remain in place until 31 January 2020, according to a statement released by the Department of Primary and Secondary Healthcare on Monday.
The Punjab government’s decision came a few hours after Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood declared that until January 11, educational institutions would remain closed throughout the country.
After a meeting with ministers of education from all four provinces, the minister decided that students would take classes from home until 24 December. They will take a winter break from December 24th to January 10th.
“All ministers have mutually decided that to keep all educational institutions, including schools, colleges, universities, and tuition centres closed. However, online classes will continue from November 26 to December 24 after which winter break will start. Schools will reopen on January 11, 2021,” Shafqat Mahmood had said during the news conference.
Mahmood said that the top priority of the government is children’s health and safety, adding that exams scheduled to take place in December would be postponed, with the exception of a few professional examinations.
During the meeting, it was decided that the respective provinces would take micro-decisions on examinations and other matters.