Schools To Open In Two Weeks’ Time With Accelerated Syllabi Coverage

Following the lifting of the national lockdown restrictions, Government has made a decision for schools to open starting from the 15th of this month stretching to the 22nd , Nhau has learnt.

Addressing the media during Tuesday’s weekly post Cabinet briefing, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa said that examination classes are going to open first followed by non-examination classes a week later.

She stated that all teachers who are responsible for examination classes should report for duty by the 10th of this month in order to put their logistics in place.

Those who teach non-examination classes are expected to report for duty by the 17th of March 2021.

Mutsvangwa stated that schools that have large enrolment numbers should exercise rotational learning so as to facilitate social distancing in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

In terms of work backlog, Mutsvangwa said cabinet decided that all continuing classes start with compressed 2020 syllabi work to accelerate coverage.

“All continuing classes will start with 2020 work. Syllabi have been compressed to facilitate accelerated coverage. Both primary and secondary school levels will follow three stages of accelerated syllabi coverage,” she said.

The opening of schools was long overdue but could not be given the green light as a second wave of Covid-19 infections hit the country forcing President Mnangagwa to implement a level four national lockdown.

Some sections of the public were vying for the opening of schools as learners were now at the risk of drug abuse, sexual misconduct, crime and other related delinquencies.

However government’s decision will face another hurdle as some teacher unions such as the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have already declared that their teachers are already incapacitated to report for duty.

ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said government should address the issue of their salaries first before making any move towards the opening schools for learning and examinations.

“As of now, teachers are incapacitated. As long as the government does not address this issue, then there will not be proper implementation of the work plan for the scheduled examinations,” he said. Nhau/Indaba