SCHOOLS will open for all classes tomorrow, with the Government giving the greenlight to the alternating approach to learning that will see some pupils attending school for only two days per week to limit numbers as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).
According to the SOP, classes must not have more than 35
pupils and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has given the nod to
individual schools to reduce and alternate classes to ensure there is a limited
number of pupils per class at a particular time.
As was done last year, this could see some schools allowing
pupils to only attend classes two days per week, spend three days learning from
home and then rotate in the following week. Responding to questions from Sunday
News, director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro said alternating and hot sitting classes
will depend on each individual school’s capacity.
“This depends on the school, some need to alternate, some
don’t. Our SOPs instruct that we have not more than 35 learners per class. But
the less the better. As for actual teacher establishment, let’s wait for
schools to open and then we assess,” said Mr Ndoro.
He said the Government will this week assess the available
teachers at schools so as to come up with the actual teacher establishment and
the required personnel in the sector. This year the Government recruited 3 000
teachers in the country and approved 600 lateral transfers to the Harare and
Bulawayo Metropolitan provinces.
Among the new recruitments, specialist teachers in the
indigenous languages of Shangani, Tonga, Venda and Nambya were also employed as
Government moves to affirm its position on the teaching of these languages.
Commenting on the state of affairs in schools as the rest
of classes open tomorrow, Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive
officer Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said the alternating classes strategy was the best
route to take as it would help protect learners and teachers from the pandemic.
He said the Government must ensure adequate availability of Personal Protective
Equipment at schools.
“At the present circumstances of Covid-19 alternating
classes is the best way to go because we do not have the classroom space to
cater for the reduced number of learners per class as guided by the SOPs. What
we now need to do for us to complement these alternating classes is to come up
with a robust programme of distance learning and cyber learning. The reality is
that this pandemic is now with us hence we must come up with means of ensuring
the education sector still operates,” said Dr Ndlovu.
Meanwhile, the Government will cascade teacher vaccination
to provinces and districts in a bid to have all teachers being inoculated as
schools open tomorrow. Vaccination of teachers started in Harare Province last
week. This is the second stage of the national vaccination programme against
Covid-19 where teachers, the elderly and people with underlying conditions are
to get vaccinated. Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro said
every teacher in the country was going to get a jab.
“Our programmes have started here in Harare, but we are
moving down to other provinces in the country and districts too. Harare was
just a central point where we started and we will take it from there, moving
outside the province,” he said.
Dr Mangwiro said the vaccination programme was going to
pick up pace as more sectors were being included in the initiative.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Council of Churches secretary general
Reverend Dr Kenneth Mtata said the church was rallying behind the vaccination
programme.
“The last few weeks we have been consulting with church
leaders and with medical professionals for us to have a deeper understanding of
the vaccine and all the challenges and risks associated with it. We have
concluded that this vaccine could be useful in protecting people from the
Covid-19 virus therefore we are encouraging people to get vaccinated. I have
been vaccinated myself and I am calling upon all our clergy and church leaders
to get vaccinated,” he said.
Rev Dr Mtata said arrangements are being made to ensure
church leaders are vaccinated in convenient places and times. Treasury has set
aside US$100 million for the procurement of vaccines that will see 10 million
of the population being inoculated in order to achieve herd immunity. Sunday
News
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