Education Ministry Issues More Guidelines ahead of Schools Reopening

By Wilson Kakuru Last updated Jan 3, 2022 1,274

Pupils attend class at a school in Nansana-Ganda, Wakiso District before the two-year covid induced lockdown. Courtesy photo

The Ministry of Education has released a phased program to be followed by schools in Kampala, Wakiso and Mpigi in reopening for learners.

President Museveni on Friday announced that all schools in the country that had been closed for over two years due to the Covid pandemic will be reopened on January ,10, 2022.

He however asked the ministry to come up with a detailed plan to mitigate road traffic congestion in the Kampala Metropolitan Area during the reopening.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Education Ministry said they have engaged different stakeholders including KCCA, Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi district local governments, security and the Ministry of Works and Transport before coming up with a phased reopening program.

“All learners in day schools shall report on Monday the January, 10, 2022 for class. All learners in boarding schools in the districts of Wakiso, Mpigi, Mukono, and Kampala shall follow a staggered reporting plan with effect from Monday 10, January, 2022 and no boarding Students in the concerned districts shall report for school earlier than January, 10, 2022,” the Education Ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, students in international schools whether offering day or boarding schools also comply with the program and should not open earlier than the January, 10 date as indicated by the president.

“For those in Mpigi and Wakiso districts, the reporting dates for boarding students in A-level and those in lower primary (boarding) will be January, 10 whereas those in O-level, P.5, P.6 and P.7 (in boarding) will be Wednesday January, 12.”

For Kampala and Mukono, the statement says boarding students in A-level and lower primary are expected to report to school on Tuesday, January,11, 2022 whereas those in O-level, P.5, P.6 and P.7 will be expected to report on Thursday January, 13, 2022.

The ministry however says that schools that have already communicated to parents a staggered reporting plan that goes beyond January, 13 2022 are free to retain such a plan provided no learners report before January, 10, 2022.

“It is the responsibility of the learners’ respective parents or guardians to ensure that the learner is provided with a mask to wear when travelling to school while using public transport means,” the Education Ministry says.