Teachers in Kabale are scared of COVID-19 as government plans to open schools.

By; Our reporter

10^th Sept. 2020

As schools await the order to reopen for candidate classes later this month, school heads and parents sampled in Kabale district say they just do not have the capacity to put in place the required Standard Operating Procedures to resume operating.

More than 15 million learners were sent home following the closure of schools in March this year by President Yoweri Museveni as a preventive measure to control the spread of Coronavirus in the country.  Learning for candidate classes is expected to resume on 20th this month.

And in a September 2, 2020 letter to the Minister for Finance, Matia Kasaija, the Education Minister Janet Museveni asked that funds in terms of capitation grants to the government schools for the third term should be released to enable schools prepare for the new term.

However, stakeholders in Kabale district see any move to open schools in the current circumstances as dangerous there are simply no resources to implement the basic SOPs among them are Remigio Byamukama, the Head teacher of St Mary’s College Rushoroza in Kabale municipality says that it would simply be disastrous to open schools before a COVID 19 vaccine is developed.

The Ministry of Education and Sports’ Directorate of Education Standards released a set of Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for schools in preparation to the reopening.  The guidelines included availability of staff health, sanitation and environment committee to oversee or constitute Covid 19 Task Force;  compilation  of daily health reports on learners; support supervision conducted by school management on compliance to health standards especially SOPs among others.

Another important requirement is the availability of an isolation room.

School must also, provide masks to school community. Disinfection of classroom floors, walls, furniture, surfaces and toilets must also be done all the time. There should also be a program for a shift system for class, library, workshops, laboratories and meals. And needless to say, hand washing facilities are a must.