By Augustine Kabooha.
Health officials in Kabarole district and Fort-portal Tourism city have revealed that all schools have been inspected and found out that they qualify for reopening come 1st March 2021.
According to Cecelia Birungi one of the health inspectors in-charge of schools, inspection activities have been ongoing in preparations of welcoming students of P.6, S.3 and S.5 as directed by the president and ministry of education and sports.
Speaking to us on Thursday in Fort-portal Boma Cecelia noted that since March 2020 Kabarole district has registered positive covid-19 cases among students and teachers but they have since recovered after receiving treatment.
Failure to operate Temperature Guns, purchase of materials required in the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures SOPs among others are some of the challenges faced by schools after reopening amidst covid-19 pandemic.
However schools are cautioned to be vigilant about the recent Ebola outbreak in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. Cecelia says the ministry of health has embarked on sensitization meetings in schools and communities on the prevention of Ebola disease.
She urged schools not to focus on prevention of covid-19 but also take note of Ebola since Uganda especially Tooro Ruwenzori areas are bordering with Democratic Republic of Congo where scores of people have so far tested positive while others have succumbed to the disease.
The Ministry of Education on 11th February released the official timetable for reopening of schools in a phased manner to manage the learners in the face of Covid-19 as they close the 2020 academic year.
According to the ministry’s schedule, the Sub candidate classes of Primary Six, Senior Three and Senior Five will report first on March 1st and study for 08 weeks, breaking off on May 21.
Primary Four and Five classes will study for eight weeks starting on April 6 after Primary Leaving Examinations and end on June 4 to create space for lower primary pupils in Primary 1, 2, and 3 to come in on June 7. Primary 1, 2, and 3 will study for eight weeks which end on July 24 according to the ministry.
Education institutions were in March last year by president Museveni after the corona-virus outbreak.
