Schools re-opening: Govt bans public transport for teachers, learners

The ministry of Education and Sports has said no learner or teacher will be allowed to use public transport including taxis, vans and boda bodas when schools reopen for finalists.

According to officials, public transport is one of the channels through which poses a great  of Covid-19 is spread.

The permanent secretary in the ministry, Alex Kakooza, said schools shall be required to register all learners and their mode of transport, especially for those in urban centres where public means are commonly used.

Kakooza noted learners and teachers in urban government schools shall not be allowed to move to and from school on general public transport, including taxis and buses, but rather designated buses.

"The schools working with urban authorities shall organise dedicated vans or buses on designated routes to transport learners including learners with special needs who cannot walk or be transported privately to school,"he said during news conference on Thursday.

Kakooza said learners who walk to school or are transported by private means to schools may continue to do so but should not use public transport on any occasion, even when they cannot walk or be privately transported to and from school by their parents.

Parents were advised to identify schools nearest their home to enrol their children for the meantime to avoid risks, unnecessary costs and inconveniences of long distance travel to schools.

Officials suggested that institutions with large numbers of candidates who cannot be accommodated in the available rooms with social distancing shall make arrangements to operate in shifts.

Government also advised schools to reduce on holding co-curricular activities, assemblies, and external mocks as one way of recovering the lost learning time.

He advised schools to ensure that the observation of the recommended social distancing of at least 2 metres in classrooms and dormitories including other Covid-19 standard operating procedures.