BY: ATWIINE RHONET
President Museveni has allowed schools, technical, and all institutions to reopen for only finalist students with effect from October 15th, 2020.
On the 18th of March, 2020, the president of Uganda H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni issued the first strict thirteen directives to be followed by Ugandans in a bid to curb COVID-19.
Among these, the major was the closure of all the primary and secondary schools as well as all the universities and tertiary institutions for a month starting on the 20th of March, 2020 at midday.
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| One of the Secondary Schools during the lockdown (empty compound view) |
However, on Sunday 20th of September, 2020, Museveni said that after a long period of over five months, schools will reopen to allow finalists to complete the syllabus and sit for their national examinations.
“We have decided to reopen schools for candidate classes including P.7, S.4, and S.6 plus finalists in tertiary institutions like colleges and universities. We believe that the number of these is small ” Museveni says.
On top of that, he explains more that according to experts, it is safe for finalists to resume because they are only 1.5 million which represents only 10% of the total number of 15 million learners in the country.
“Each group will have a bigger space for social distancing. If they follow Standard Operating Procedures, they will be safe. The cost of waiting any further is very high because of the jam of transition.”
“If the batch of 2020 don’t move on, what will happen to a batch of 2021? We can’t afford to have both in 2021. It can be done safely if people cooperate ” he adds.
Museveni, however, noted that non-finalists can only be thought of in January thus declaring it a dead year.
Previously, private school owners have called upon the government to come to their help since they borrowed money from various financial institutions.
Therefore President Museveni, assisted by getting loans from the Uganda Development bank whereas private teachers can make use of the shs20 billion put in their Sacco.
Museveni said since Ugandans have tested both scenarios of no deaths because of the lockdown and one of laxity and death, they should be careful with their lives.
“Our scientists are sure if people strictly adhere to guidelines, they will be safe. Many people moved on by listening to the advice of false prophets that the virus was not there. In this case, by showing negligence and disobedience we are reaping more sickness and deaths,” he said.
“We should put emphasis on the observation of SOPs. Provided SOPs are strictly followed at a personal and group level, the virus can be contained.”
In accordance with the 14th presidential address, which raised hopes of going back to schools, parents and students have been in preparations but all their wishes landed on deaf ears.
Currently, Uganda is easing the lockdown by allowing some businesses that were suspended to operate. The major one being public transport which is to operate at half capacity.
Uganda has recorded 6287 cases and only 63 deaths since the first case of Coronavirus was recorded in March.
Important External Links on this article
Go to Ministry of Health Website for latest Updates on COVID-19
Ministry of Education Uganda Website
Thanks to H.E.President of our nation, but we are going to increase death cases, because our nation's people do not respect laws and advices of M.O.H.ug. all advices from our life Ministry was blocken by people, i want to know, is there any medicine to prevent covid19?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we wait to open some social places? Ugandans should first show that they know that covid19 kills, many ugandans mixed covid19 with politics, thats why president tells people every day, ok. How will it be after covid19 starts in vilage people???????
Kindly to Gov.ug, add more trained doctors,, thank you,.