Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter
THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the reopening of schools and the holding of the November-December final Zimsec examinations.
This comes as measures are being put in place to up the testing capacity in the country so as to curtail the spike in infections in the country.
Last month Government deferred the re-opening of schools to a later date from the initial 28 July citing the rising number of local transmissions.
Speaking at the weekly post cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa said Government was taking on from the successful holding of the June examinations to lay the plan to reopen and hold the final exams.
“Regarding Primary and Secondary Education, Cabinet notes that the sector is continuing with its preparations for the re-opening of schools for final examination classes. The developed and approved guidelines that were put in place for the June 2020 examinations will be used for the holding of the final examinations in November to December,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Meanwhile, the Minister revealed that the Government has engaged the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) to produce key components for Covid-19 test kits so as to boost the country’s testing capacity.
“In order to curtail the spike in infections Zimbabwe requires a more robust testing regime. In this regard, Cabinet directed that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Innovation Science and Technology Development, through the National University of Science and Technology, works on the production of PCR Primers and Viral Transport media.
“Cabinet has further directed that immigrants who are PCR negative on arrival will no longer be detained but be put on home quarantine and reviews will be conducted by the Rapid Response Teams in that locality. Those who test positive on arrival will be placed in isolation centres,” said the Minister.
Sidumisile Mabena