Students, pupils and learners in at least five classes at primary and secondary level will be given priority when schools reopen next month (September 2021).
An August 30 meeting between education ministry officials on one side and district and municipal officials, and heads of several education bodies agreed to reopen schools in a phased manner.
A previous school reopening plan was, about three months ago, affected by the second wave of Covid19, which prompted President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni to close schools as he announced a total lockdown in June 2021.
By the time of the closure of schools, P7, S4 and P6 as well as P5 and P4 learners had completed their 2020 Academic year and were waiting for their next levels of education.
Learners in P1, P2 and P3 were expected to report on July 19, 2021 and their term was expected to end on September 03, 2021.
Primary 6, S3 and S5 students — the would-be candidates — were expected to report on July 19, 2021 to complete their adjusted term that would have ended on September 03.
S1 students would have reported back on July 19, and their term would have ended on August 13, 2021.
S2 students would have reported on July 19, 2021 and their term ended on September 03, 2021.
However, Covid19 happened — and disrupted this phased reopening plan and rendered the revised school calendar irrelevant.
Now, according to a tentative school reopening plan gleaned from sources that attended the August 30 meeting, when schools reopen in September 2021, priority will be given priority.
These are: P1, P2, P3 (P1-P3) as well as S1 and S2 (S1-S2).
The P1 class will be an interesting one with all children aged six expected to be bundled in this class. It will not matter if these children have undergone nursery schooling.
A reopening plan for students supposed to join Senior One and Senior Five (those who recently got their Uneb PLE and UCE exams) is expected to be drawn after the classes that will reopen first have completed their short term.
