TEACHERS unions have called on government to send non-examination classes home as part of measures to decongest schools and tame the spread of COVID-19 which has wreaked havoc in most learning institutions across the country.
Several privately-run boarding schools have suspended
classes and sent learners home after recording a surge in infections in the
past few days.
Schools are supposed to officially close for end of year on
December 17, but teachers unions said one more week was too long given the
speed at which the disease was spreading.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union president Obert Masaraure
said the majority of schools have become a serious health threat,
“We have been monitoring adherence to standard operating
procedures (SOPs) in schools and adherence is as low as 25%,” Masaraure said.
“The union calls upon the government to temporarily close
schools for non-examination classes while we enhance the capacity of our
schools to adhere to SOPs. Our schools are a serious national health threat and
if we don’t act the nation will soon plunge into a health crisis.”
Progressive Teachers Union president Takavafira Zhou said:
“Forget about SOPs, they are non-existent in most schools in Zimbabwe. There is
a quandary in schools over invigilation of COVID-19-positive students with many
teachers forced to invigilate without protective gear,” Zhou said.
“Many teachers have subsequently contracted the virus. Such
command and control tactics have, therefore, endangered the health and safety
of other pupils and teachers in schools.”
“If nothing is done as a matter of urgency, there is danger
that schools may be virtually abandoned by teachers, or totally converted into
quarantine centres rather than function as institutions of learning and
teaching.”
But Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson
Taungana Ndoro said they would stick to the December 17 closing date. Newsday
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