Govt set to announce school re-opening dates, guidelines

Uganda’s education ministry is expected to inform learners, parents and teachers of the dates for the reopening of schools, six months after the closure of institutions to prevent the spread of Covid19.

In March 2020, President Yoweri Museveni closed mass concentration places, including schools and churches.

Plans for phased reopening were months ago suspended after scientists would doing so would put millions of Ugandan children at risk of contracting Covid19.

Instead, government encouraged learning via media stations, and sent learning materials to students and pupils in rural districts.

But The Pearl Times has learnt that government has resolved to reopen schools for final year students in secondary, tertiary, and higher learning institutions.

Minister Janet Museveni recently wrote to finance minister Matia Kasaija requesting him to release third term capitation grants.

She copied her letter to Museveni, Prime minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, junior education ministers, secretary to the treasury Keith Muhakanizi, and ministry permanent secretary Alex Kakooza.

The first lady informed minister Kasaija of resolutions from a meeting President Museveni chaired at State House Entebbe on September 01.

The meeting, attended by members of the National Covid19 Taskforce, agreed on “a phased re-opening of schools, starting with candidate classes at all levels.”

On September 04, commissioner for secondary education Sam Kuloba told participants at a teacher retooling workshop at Mbale SS that schools would reopen within the next few weeks.

Schools will reopen before the end of September, he revealed.

“We have already finalized the guidelines that are going to be issued on Monday [September 07] to all head teachers and teachers,” he added, calling on school stakeholders to follow these guidelines.

Education ministry officials are also expected to announce dates for reopening.

There had been some calls on the education ministry to declare a dead year for all learners at all levels.

But days ago, National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) announced reopening of health training institutions, with learners expected to return to class on September 28.