Re-opening of schools postponed

LUSAKA. – Education authorities in Zambia announced for the second time yesterday a further rescheduling of the reopening of schools as cholera cases continue to surge in the country.

Minister of Education Douglas Syakalima said that schools, which were expected to open on Jan 29, will now open on Feb 12. Initially, schools were scheduled to open on Jan. 8, 2023.

During a press briefing, Syakalima told reporters that the authorities insisted that schools should not open as scheduled due to the current cholera situation, following a country-wide assessment.

“The Ministry of Health has been monitoring the situation, and at the same time, the Ministry of Education has been conducting school inspections in all 10 provinces to ascertain their readiness to open,” he said.

Zambia has recorded 13,686 cholera cases and 518 deaths since October.

Meanwhile, The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said it is expediting cholera outbreak response efforts in southern Africa, particularly Zambia.. – Xinhua