Phased reopening of polytechnics ‘imminent’

Leroy Dzenga

Herald Reporter

Polytechnic colleges are set to reopen in a few weeks, as Government is almost done with the clearing out of returnees that were being quarantined at such institutions across the country.

Harare, Gweru and Masvingo Polytechnic are some of the institutions that were being used as quarantine centres.

Polytechnics are yet to get a specific date for re-opening although Government has allowed universities to reopen and announced that schools will reopen on July 28.

Speaking to The Herald, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said polytechnic students should start preparing to return to school.

“When we went for the lockdown, polytechnics had already written their examinations. This means they did not have much of a disruption in their learning processes,” said Prof Murwira.

The Herald understands that the Higher Education Examination Council (HEXCO) are almost done with marking the examination.

“HEXCO told us they will be done with the marking and results will be out soon. We are going to open them as soon as possible but it must be in July. We will be communicating specific dates, we just want to make sure our colleagues at Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare clear returnees before we fumigate the polytechnics,” Prof Murwira said.

He said the polytechnics will have a phased reopening just like universities. He said final year students will be the first to return to campus while others will be using virtual learning.

This comes at a time when Government has structured a deal with mobile network operators to offer subsidised data to students.

Physically lectures, he said, will be limited to technical lectures, which cannot be substituted.