Education department confirms two-week delay in reopening schools

The basic education department on Friday confirmed the reopening of schools has been postponed to February 15.

“Given the pressure experienced by the health system in the past few weeks, occasioned by increased Covid-19 infections which has led to the second wave, the council of education ministers in conjunction with the national coronavirus command council and cabinet has taken the decision to delay the reopening of both public and private schools by two weeks,” deputy basic education minister Reginah Mhaule told a media briefing.

“This includes private schools that have already reopened . They will need to postpone their reopening to a later date. This is to provide relief to the health system which is already struggling to cope with demands.”

Mhaule said new dates for the reopening of private schools would vary depending on the calendar they follow.

For public schools and private schools which follow the same calendar, changes are as follows:

• school management teams will report for duty on January 25;
• teachers will follow on February 1; and
• pupils will return February 15.

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