All set for schools to resume lessons

Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Bulawayo has put in place all measures to ensure that schools can resume normal lessons tomorrow after some schools temporarily closed due to protests that rocked the country last week.

Some schools in the city had remained closed even on Thursday and Friday when the protests ended. In an interview, Bulawayo provincial education director Mrs Olicah Kaira said all was set for schools to resume lessons. She said the situation in the city had normalised and parents should allow their children to go to school as their safety was guaranteed.

“We are saying on Monday all learners must come to school and we continue with lessons, the pupils had missed school for more than a week which is not healthy for our curriculum. One day or an hour missed at school is already too much so they must ensure they come. They have lost out a lot in the past week,” she said.

Mrs Kaira said the situation in Bulawayo had normalised by Wednesday last week and learners should have returned then, as schools were opened and teachers were ready to continue with lessons.

“The pupils should have come last week as things had normalised then, actually we had few schools that opened and pupils were there but the challenge was that there were few students and few teachers during the week but on Monday we expect to be in full throttle with all students and teachers in place so that lessons go forward,” she said.

Mrs Kaira also said learners who are at boarding schools around the city were safe and continued with their lessons despite the protests. This comes as the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Professor Paul Mavima has ordered all schools across the country to resume normal lessons as adequate security is there both for teachers and learners.

“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education would like to advise the nation and all its stakeholders that learning should resume forthwith in all schools. We have assurance from Government that the safety of all learners in our schools is guaranteed,” said Prof Mavima.

“Heads of schools and teachers are therefore instructed to put in place enough mechanisms to ensure that effective learning takes place with immediate effect. Our provincial and district managers are also urged to play their supervisory role and report any cases of schools that could be having challenges,” he said.