PREPARATIONS for the second school term have begun but
opening will now be delayed as authorities roll out changes to how the academic
institutions will operate in view of the Covid-19 scourge.
They were scheduled to open on May 5. Zimbabwe’s lockdown
was last week extended by a fortnight to May 3.
But with Government planning to overhaul the learning
environment through a raft of changes that include reducing class sizes to
enforce social distancing, this is no longer possible.
The reorientation, necessitated by the coronavirus
pandemic, will also involve provision of protective wear for educators and
regular disinfection of schools.
Further, Government is mobilising a budget to procure sanitisers
for all schools and new single-student desks.
Authorities told The Sunday Mail that schools will only
open when the Covid-19 outbreak has been sufficiently contained and a safe
learning environment for pupils has been fashioned.
Plans being considered include provisionally allowing
pupils sitting for public examinations this year to return to school while
measures are put in place to allow for the rest to resume classes.
Grade 7, Form 4 and 6 classes sit for public examinations
towards the end of the third term.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo
said only President Mnangagwa would issue a proclamation to reopen schools.
“In terms of the school opening calendar we are still
looking at the dates,” said Deputy Minister Moyo.
“We will stand guided by any pronouncement made by His
Excellency the President after consultations with his team and advisors. We
will look at the progression of the disease in terms of how well we manage to
contain it.
“We are preparing at the moment, but we cannot anticipate
when schools will be opened because this is a function of reading how well we
manage the disease.”
He said the school calendar will most likely be altered as
a result of the disruption occasioned by Covid-19. Social distancing will be
enforced at all schools once they reopen.
“We are looking at how, when schools eventually open, we
will deal with things like enforcing social distancing at the schools
especially in classes. We are looking at things like reducing class sizes,
school furniture for single student sitting and how this can be used to enforce
social distancing.
“We are also looking at how we can provide the relevant
protective equipment for our teachers and school staff, and how we can also
protect our children. Provision of sanitisers is also important as well as disinfecting
schools which will be prioritised,” he said.
Deputy Minister Moyo said Government is consulting
stakeholders so that in the event that the President makes a pronouncement,
they are not caught off guard.
“Right now we are working on budgeting for procurement of
the requisite stuff we need, this includes sanitisers, furniture and
disinfectants.
“We are working with our partners as well as looking at
what contribution Treasury can make. What is certain is that our schools will
never be the same when they reopen.”
“We are not yet there and we cannot speculate on the
position that will be taken (regarding partial opening of schools) and that may
turn out to be the way.
“It is one of the options that we are considering but it is
only as part of preparations, we cannot discount any option now. In short, we
are developing a plan in anticipation of the pronouncement.”
Zimbabwe Schools Development Associations/Committees
secretary-general Mr Everisto Jongwe said schools should be the last
institutions to open after the lockdown.
“It’s a Catch-22 situation,” he said.
“For a start enforcing social distancing is very tricky in
schools. We have schools that have up to 4 000 pupils and to ask them to
enforce social distancing is impossible, worse still if it is a boarding
school.
“Then you look at the issue of providing protective
equipment, and asking Government to provide that for teachers, support staff
and pupils is a huge ask.
“We have to be very careful about what we do before we can
reopen schools. Reopening schools should be the last issue on the table after
we have reopened the rest of the country.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Dr
Takavafira Zhou urged Government to consult widely before reopening schools.
“The most important lesson we have is that schools cannot
reopen for the second term but can open for the third term this year. It is
noble that Government is considering all these options but as you know saying
one thing and doing it are two very different things,” said Dr Zhou.
“What Government needs to do is engage us as teachers
unions so that we can agree on the way forward together and this is so that we
can also share our concerns.
“The idea of opening schools later in the year is very
noble but it has to be supported by all because the security of teachers and
pupils is paramount.”
All schools and tertiary institutions closed on March 24.
Announcing the closure, President Mnangagwa said Government
“will advise on dates for the reopening of all teaching institutions in the
country once the threat of the virus is adjudged to have receded”. Sunday Mail
0 comments:
Post a Comment