KAMPALA, UGANDA: The state minister for higher education, John Chrysostom Muyingo has said that they do not know or have a plan for school reopening at the moment.
The minister made the remarks while officiating the release of the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board – UBTEB results last Friday in Kampala.
According to Minister Muyingo, the education ministry is currently carrying out consultations and no decision has yet been made on when schools can re-open.
The minister’s remarks came following reports that schools would reopen next week and give priority to pupils in primary one to three and students in senior one and two.
Muyingo says that no decision has been made yet because stakeholder consultations are ongoing. He says they do not have a formula on how schools will reopen or even which classes will be allowed to continue or not.
Early last week, the education ministry met school proprietors and teacher’s professional bodies to discuss how schools can reopen in a safe way. Some of the proposed measures were prioritizing classes that have not resumed learning since March 2020 and strengthening COVID-19 surveillance systems.
According to Muyingo, schools were closed to protect the lives of so many learners that were at risk following the lifting of the first lockdown. As schools remain closed for more than two months now, the minister urged teachers to use the time to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Teachers, let us use this time to go and get vaccinated. The vaccines are there and they are free of charge. As we engage stakeholders, go and get vaccinated so that when a decision is made, you will be ready to resume teaching,” he said.
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