School heads want learners to report back with Covidex as gov’t considers reopening next month

Heads of secondary schools want Covidex, a recently approved Covid-19 treatment regimen to be a made mandatory item students acquire when schools reopen next month.

According to Martin Okiria, who is the National Chairman of the Association of Secondary School Head Teachers of Uganda (ASSHTU), Covidex, if made a requirement could help to silence the stigma that comes with new COVID-19 cases.

Okiria made these remarks during a virtual stakeholders meeting that was hosted by the Ministry of Education on Monday.

The meeting was held on Zoom, a video communications app that provides videotelephony and online chat services.

“We think that students should be asked to come with at least three (3) bottles each, so that if one develops symptoms they can take the Covidex. We think that this will help,” Okiria stated.

Okiria also requested that school reopening should not be pegged on COVID-19 vaccination, saying that teachers can continue to get vaccinated while schools operate.

Okiria’s remarks where unanimously welcomed by several stakeholders including some at the Ministry of Education who were attending the meeting.

Among other stakeholders who attended the meeting, include general secretaries of the Uganda National Teachers Union, Uganda Private School Teachers Union and Education Secretaries.

The meeting was hosted by Ismael Mulindwa, who is the Assistant Commissioner of Private Schools Policy Regulations at Ministry of Education.

Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, who is the Director of Education Standards in the Ministry of Education revealed that government is preparing to reopen schools in the first two weeks of September.

Turyagyenda said that priority this time being given to continuing classes of Primary 1 to 3 and learners of Senior 1 and 2 in secondary schools.

For higher institutions, Turyagyenda said that government will give priority to finalists so that these can complete their Academic Year to allow room for others to progress.

Other suggestions

Turyagyenda said that government wants all learners above the age of six years to be admitted in Primary 1, irrespective of whether they have gone through nursery or not.

Government also proposed that learners should study for only 14 weeks when schools reopen in a staggering manner and be assessed through other means other than exams for promotion.

Schools were also tasked to ensure that all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are followed when schools reopen, with daily cases reporting to the respective District Covid19 task forces.