Education Ministry Extends Opening Date for Schools

The Ministry of Education has extended the scheduled opening date of primary, secondary schools and Universities.

The development comes following the extension of the lockdown to 21-days in the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID -19).

Last month the ministry released a new timetable to address the reopening of schools after the first 14 -day lockdown. Tentative dates for reopening at the time were April 27, 2020, for pre-primary, primary and secondary learners. Students at the university level were supposed to resume class on May 2, 2020.

However, the education ministry now says the previously released timetable can no longer be used. While addressing the nation today, the minister of education, Janet Kataha Museveni said that schools can no longer open as was earlier planned.

“Tentative dates of schools opening was April 27 and May 2. This will not be possible in the present circumstances,” said the Minister.

She said that the education ministry would be guided by the COVID-19 task force on the next step. The ministry did not specify when the new school term would begin but a source from the education ministry says that the new dates will be affected by the lifting of the lockdown.

“For now, new dates will only be communicated if the lockdown is lifted. New dates cannot be communicated as of now,” said the source.

The previously released school time table was dependant on the government’s response to the COVID-19.

Since schools will not be opening, the education ministry has developed a framework to enable the continuity of learning during the lockdown. According to the new framework, learners will be taught on radio and TV.

According to the framework, the learning that will take place on TV and radios will cater for learners in primary and secondary.  Students in tertiary institutions and universities are required to carry out personal reading and research during this time.

Data from the education ministry shows that over 15 million learners are out of school during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda. Uganda has so far confirmed 55 cases.