Education ministry clears air on reports of reopening dates for candidate classes, examinations timetable

Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has spoken out on reports that it has announced dates for the reopening of schools for candidate classes and finalists.

On September 11, social media reports claimed the education ministry had released the tentative academic year calendar and dates for end of level examinations.

Schools have remained closed since March 20 when President Yoweri Museveni closed them as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid19 in mass concentration areas.

About three months ago, the education ministry had hoped to reopen schools for candidates and final year students, but scientists advised against the planning.

It would be premature to reopen schools, and such a decision would put lives of learners on the line.

In one of his previous addresses, President Museveni told Ugandans a decision on whether to reopen schools or declare a dead academic year would be announced by September 2020.

Before then, Museveni he had argued school could wait, urging Ugandans to prioritize the fight against Covid19 instead of rushed reopening of schools.

Although the education ministry, which first lady Janet Museveni leads as minister, is yet to officially announce a reopening schedule, it has worked on a number of standard operating procedures and guidelines to be put in place before schools can be allowed to operate again.

List: Here are the 30 guidelines, SOPs schools must put in place ahead of reopening

Claims of announcement on reopening and examinations have fed into the anxiety on what learners should expect.

But the ministry has dismissed such reports as fake.

“The document showing a revised School Calendar and a Time Table for candidate classes that is making rounds online is fake!!! Kindly treat it with the contempt it deserves,” read a September 11 statement from the ministry.

On examinations, Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) executive secretary Dan Odongo recently denied there was a clash between the assessment body and the ministry on fixing examination dates.

Uneb speaks on preparations for 2020 examinations, rift with education ministry officials