Muscat: The Supreme Committee has assigned a date for the commencement of the new school year and has confirmed that it will lift the nationwide night curfew in a public statement issued today [October 21].

The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic held a meeting today under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al-Busaidi, Minister of Interior, to follow up updates on the pandemic and measures of prevention of infection and spread of the virus.

The Committee studied the number of cases of infection and deaths resulting from the pandemic and other epidemiological data from different governorates of the Sultanate.

The Supreme Committee expressed extreme anxiety about the behaviour of individuals who continued to participate in gatherings and cause the spread of the virus.

They urged all individuals and establishments to exercise maximum caution and implement all precautionary measures aimed to curb the rise in infections and deaths.

The Committee reiterated its plea to citizens and residents to shoulder the responsibility of protecting human life by reporting offenders to the authorities concerned.

Within the context of its follow-up of the Education Ministry’s efforts to operate schools during the forthcoming School Year 2020-2021, the Supreme Committee affirmed that the school year will begin on November 1, 2020.

It also endorsed the Blended Learning system of education, with emphasis on combining online study.

The Supreme Committee reaffirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation through the Ministry of Education and other departments concerned to ensure a sustained educational experience, along with reports on epidemiological data from different governorates of the Sultanate.

In response to requests to ensure the participation of community individuals in national efforts to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Committee has approved the initiative of volunteering across different segments of society.

The authorities concerned will announce the mechanisms regulating this practice, said the Supreme Committee in its report issued today.

As for the ban on night-time movement, the Supreme Committee explained that the ban will be lifted on Saturday, 24 October 2020.

In its report, the Committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect everyone against all harm.