The move comes amid uncertainty over the new opening dates,
as figures of Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the country with some teachers
having resorted to offering extra lesson services to pupils for an extra penny.
In an interview, director of communications in the Ministry
of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro said teachers were fully
aware that the only lessons that had been permitted to date were the ones
conducted online.
He said it was therefore mischievous and criminal for
anyone to conduct physical classes as this would derail the Government efforts
to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are clear when it comes to the issue of extra lessons.
We have made it clear that only online lessons have been permitted. Physical
lessons, where teachers gather pupils at some location are illegal as there
will be no mechanism to monitor adherence to guidelines so that they do not
become spreaders of this pandemic.
“Therefore, teachers who are conducting these lessons are
liable for prosecution for defying Covid-19 lockdown regulations,” said Mr
Ndoro.
Mr Ndoro said measures put forward by the Government were
not meant to disadvantage pupils but were to protect them against contracting
the Covid-19 virus.
“The reason we are emphasizing on online classes for now is
that for physical classes to take place there is a need for the setting up and
adherence to set Standard Operating Procedures, which will be monitored by the
responsible authorities to ensure that pupils and teachers are not
unnecessarily exposed to this pandemic.
“Our call, therefore is for the teachers to be responsible
and not be pushed by greed to conduct these physical lessons, while at the same
time exposing themselves and their pupils to the pandemic,” said Mr Ndoro.
The Government, early this month deferred the opening of
schools to a date to be announced due to the spike in Covid-19 cases. Only
examination writing classes were allowed to open just to finish their final
exams.
Schools were initially scheduled to reopen on Monday last
week for the first term of 2021 closing on March 24.
Several schools recorded an increase in Covid-19 cases
among pupils and teachers last term forcing some schools to prematurely close.
Last year, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
Minister, Cde Monica Mutsvangwa warned teachers offering extra lessons that
they were breaking the law and will face the full wrath of the law should they
be caught.
“Some teachers are illegally conducting extra lessons in
violation of lockdown regulations. Such practices will endanger the lives of
the children in question and should be stopped forthwith,” Minister Mutsvangwa
was quoted as having said. Sunday News
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