Education

Breaking! Cabinet Resolves to Reopen Schools under tight guidelines

SCHOOLS REOPENING: The Cabinet has resolved to finally reopen schools for the rest of the learners but under tight guidelines. The Daily Express exclusively reports.

In September last year, Schools were only allowed to reopen for candidate classes as the Ministry of Health and Education officials continued to study the environment so that the spread of Covid-19 is effectively mitigated

In a cabinet sitting held at State House Entebbe on Monday 1st Feb, a decision was made to allow education Institutions open for non-candidate classes in what was described as a “staggered manner “that will ensure compliance with COVID 19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety.

Among the required SOPs, all learners will be required to wear face masks and parents shall be encouraged to provide two (2) face masks for each of their children.

However, the cabinet resolved that pre-primary and kindergarten schools remain closed as “learners in this category cannot observe the SOPs and are prone to respiratory infections including COVID-19” quote and quote.

- Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading. -

Additionally, cabinet noted that “most of the pre-primary schools are day and therefore, there is a lot of interface between the Learners, Teachers and Parents hence increasing the risk of infection.”

President Yoweri Museveni is expected tomorrow to make the official announcement on when exactly the schools will fully reopen in his speech scheduled for Wednesday February 3rd..

In the meantime, the Leadership of the Ministries of: Education and Sports; and Health have been asked to undertake a countrywide tour of schools and Institutions to ascertain their preparedness to reopen for non-candidate classes.

In order to complete the academic year and ensure progression, the semi-candidate classes (P6, S3 and 55) should report back to school in the short term and study (in shifts where necessary) with the Candidate classes,” the minister agreed.

“Given that PLE will be completed on 31st March, 2021 and UCE on 6th April, 2021, there will be more space in schools, when candidates leave, to enable the other classes report back and study to complement home schooling.”

Promotion to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of class work and assignments.

The minister also allowed Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions, Primary Teachers’ Colleges (PTCs) and National Teachers’ Colleges (NTCs) to open in the short term provided they are able to observe the SOPs.

Universities too will open in a staggered manner that will ensure compliance with COV1D 19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety.

Prior to the re-opening of Education Institutions, the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Local Government and other key Ministries in conjunction with Local Governments will carry out a massive awareness campaign to enable Parents and Learners prepare for the re-opening.

The cabinet on the other hand ordered the Ministry of Health to constitute a team of Doctors to visit schools affected by COVID-19 in support of schools and District COVID-19 Task Forces.

- Advertisement. -

Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: dailyexpressug@gmail.com Or follow the Daily Express on or for the latest updates.



[post-views]
Comments

Daily Express is Uganda's number one source for breaking news, National news, policy analytical stories, e-buzz, sports, and general news.

We resent fake stories in all our published stories, and are driven by our tagline of being Accurate, Fast & Reliable.

Copyright © 2024 Daily Express Uganda. A Subsidiary of Rabiu Express Media Group Ltd.

To Top
Translate »