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Nearly Two Dozen Pakistani Schools Closed For Flouting Coronavirus Rules

Alegra Bajrami (left), wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus, enters a schoolyard on the first day of the new academic year in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. Kosovar schools reopened on September 14 for the first time since March when the COVID-19 crisis began.
1/24 Alegra Bajrami (left), wearing a face mask to protect against the coronavirus, enters a schoolyard on the first day of the new academic year in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. Kosovar schools reopened on September 14 for the first time since March when the COVID-19 crisis began.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
An elementary-school student wearing a face mask passes through a disinfection tunnel on the first day of school in Pristina. ​Kosovo's government postponed the start of the school year for two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
2/24 An elementary-school student wearing a face mask passes through a disinfection tunnel on the first day of school in Pristina. ​Kosovo's government postponed the start of the school year for two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Elementary-school students wearing face masks keep their distance on the first day of school in Pristina, Kosovo.
3/24 Elementary-school students wearing face masks keep their distance on the first day of school in Pristina, Kosovo.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A woman and a girl wearing protective face masks chat as they gather with teachers, parents, and other children in front of a school in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on September 14 as classes started again after the summer break. ​Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most of Romania's schools reopened with students alternating between classroom learning and remote education.
4/24 A woman and a girl wearing protective face masks chat as they gather with teachers, parents, and other children in front of a school in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, on September 14 as classes started again after the summer break. ​Due to the coronavirus pandemic, most of Romania's schools reopened with students alternating between classroom learning and remote education.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Children rush through the corridor toward their classroom after passing medical checks during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14. 
5/24 Children rush through the corridor toward their classroom after passing medical checks during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14. 
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A health worker shows a little girl how to use a hand sanitizer during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
6/24 A health worker shows a little girl how to use a hand sanitizer during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Children during the first day back at school in Romania.
7/24 Children during the first day back at school in Romania.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
High school students social distance on the first day of the new academic year in Drama, Greece, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools reopened on September 14 amid concerns over a new spike in infections along with resistance by some parents to a regulation stipulating that all children and adults must wear protective face masks.
8/24 High school students social distance on the first day of the new academic year in Drama, Greece, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools reopened on September 14 amid concerns over a new spike in infections along with resistance by some parents to a regulation stipulating that all children and adults must wear protective face masks.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
The first day of school in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
9/24 The first day of school in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A staff member checks the body temperature of students at the entrance to the Islamabad Model College of Commerce for Girls on September 15 after educational institutions were reopened nearly six months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
10/24 A staff member checks the body temperature of students at the entrance to the Islamabad Model College of Commerce for Girls on September 15 after educational institutions were reopened nearly six months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A worker sprays disinfectant in a classroom at a private school in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 14 following a government announcement that educational institutions would be reopening nearly six months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
11/24 A worker sprays disinfectant in a classroom at a private school in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 14 following a government announcement that educational institutions would be reopening nearly six months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A teacher puts up a sign in a government school in Karachi following the announcement that educational institutions would reopen, starting from September 15, after nearly six months under lockdown.
12/24 A teacher puts up a sign in a government school in Karachi following the announcement that educational institutions would reopen, starting from September 15, after nearly six months under lockdown.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A student wearing a face mask and gloves takes part in an assembly at a school in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 15 after educational institutions reopened.
13/24 A student wearing a face mask and gloves takes part in an assembly at a school in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 15 after educational institutions reopened.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A student wearing a face shield waits to enter school during the first day back after the summer break at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
14/24 A student wearing a face shield waits to enter school during the first day back after the summer break at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest, Romania, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A teacher undergoes a body-temperature scan as she arrives for the start of the school year at the Luigi Einaudi High School in Rome, during the the COVID-19 pandemic on September 14.
15/24 A teacher undergoes a body-temperature scan as she arrives for the start of the school year at the Luigi Einaudi High School in Rome, during the the COVID-19 pandemic on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Students wearing face masks take part in an assembly at a school in Karachi, Pakistan.
16/24 Students wearing face masks take part in an assembly at a school in Karachi, Pakistan.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Students wearing face masks attend a class at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, on September 15.
17/24 Students wearing face masks attend a class at a school in Peshawar, Pakistan, on September 15.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A pupil wearing a face shield arrives at a primary school on the first day of class of the new academic year in the Greek capital, Athens, on September 14.
18/24 A pupil wearing a face shield arrives at a primary school on the first day of class of the new academic year in the Greek capital, Athens, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A drawing hangs from a blackboard during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest on September 14.
19/24 A drawing hangs from a blackboard during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A teacher leads her class toward a medical checkpoint before entering classrooms during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest.
20/24 A teacher leads her class toward a medical checkpoint before entering classrooms during the first day of school at the George Enescu National College of Music in Bucharest.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
A father with his son wearing a protective face mask wait on September 14 in front of a school in Bucharest, Romania, where classes started again after the summer break.
21/24 A father with his son wearing a protective face mask wait on September 14 in front of a school in Bucharest, Romania, where classes started again after the summer break.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
The beginning of the new school year at the Grigore Moisil High School in Lasi, Romania, on September 14.
22/24 The beginning of the new school year at the Grigore Moisil High School in Lasi, Romania, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Elementary-school students wearing face masks keep their distance on the first day of school in Pristina, Kosovo.
23/24 Elementary-school students wearing face masks keep their distance on the first day of school in Pristina, Kosovo.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
Social distancing between students and teachers in the yard of a school in Brasov, Romania, on September 14.
24/24 Social distancing between students and teachers in the yard of a school in Brasov, Romania, on September 14.
Schools are reopening for the first time since March in Kosovo, Pakistan, Romania, and other countries, with students and staff taking precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 
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Pakistani authorities say they have closed down almost two dozen educational institutions for failing to comply with rules aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

"During the last 48 hours, 22 educational institutions across Pakistan have been closed due to noncompliance of health SOPs/protocols and disease prevalence," the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) said in a statement on September 17.

The NCOC said that 16 of the closed institutions are located in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; one in the capital, Islamabad; and five in the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region.

The announcement comes a day after millions of students across Pakistan at high schools and other institutions of higher learning returned to classes following a six-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The federal government last week announced the staggered resumption of classes following a sharp decline in the country's daily infection numbers, though teachers and students must follow precautionary measures such as wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

Middle school and elementary school classes are set to reopen on September 23 and September 30, respectively.

Pakistan has recorded more than 303,000 coronavirus cases and 6,399 deaths, but daily infections have been slowing since July.

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