COVID-19: Education Minister projects schools to reopen this month
The Minister for Education and Sports, Janet Kataaha Museveni has said that if all goes according to plan, schools will reopen later this month.
On March 18, President Museveni ordered the closure of all schools in the country for 30 days as one of the ways to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
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However, according to the Education Minister, after the elapse of the 30 days, schools will reopen.
“Our plan is that if all goes according to plan and God willing, pre-primary, primary, secondary schools and Primary Teachers’ Colleges will reopen for continuation of the term on April 27 up to June 12, 2020,”Mrs Museveni said.
She noted that the second term will then run from June 22 to September 4, 2020 whereas the third term will open on September 21 and end on December 19, 2020.
“Holidays are to be shortened to allow more coverage and no additional fees should be charged when term one resumes. There will be no formal or end of term one examinations whereas schools will have only one mock examination that will happen at the end of term two,” the Education Minister explained.
Mrs Museveni noted that the Ministry will organize lessons than can reach all students and that they have already secured free learning airtime on radios and TVs to engage students in classes in an organized manner.
Tertiary Institutions
President Museveni’s directive also affected tertiary institutions that were also ordered to close for a period of one month.
However, according to the Education Minister, universities and other tertiary institutions will reopen on May 2, 2020 for continuation of the semester if all goes according to plan.
“Should the lockdown be prolonged, the Ministry will also communicate and find ways of engaging the learners,” she said.
There are 48 confirmed coronavirus cases in Uganda.
Early this week, government , announced a lockdown in which all private and public means of transport were banned , leaving only vehicles for essential services to move.
