The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is expected to release a revised school calendar soon after Cabinet on Wednesday announced the date for the resumption of classes.
Spokesperson in the Ministry Taungana Ndoro said a decision on school terms as well as calendar spelling out closing dates will be announced soon. Said Ndoro:
The ministry executive is in communities preparing for the resumption of classes as well as encouraging everyone to come back to school. The Permanent Secretary will release the schools’ calendar possibly before the end of the week.
Speaking to reporters after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said schools reopen on Monday next week for examination classes and a week later for the rest of the grades and forms. She said:
Regarding Primary and Secondary Education, the collaboration between the Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education, and Health and Child Care has buttressed the sector’s COVID-19 prevention and management systems.
The two Ministries met with provincial teams to evaluate progress in the implementation of the Joint Operational Plan of the Standard Guidelines for the Coordinated Prevention and Management of COVID-19 at Learning Institutions.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education also met with teacher organisations and deliberated on the safe re-opening of schools, among other issues.
Noting with satisfaction the preparations for the resumption of classes in schools, Cabinet is advising that schools will re-open on 30 August 2021 for examination classes, and on 6 September 2021 for non-examination classes.
As such, the inter-city and intra-city transportation for learners will be allowed during school re-opening periods, subject to close monitoring by law enforcement agencies.
Restaurants, badly hit by the higher level lockdowns, now join churches in being able to give normal service to the fully vaccinated, that is the more than 1,5 million Zimbabweans who have had both doses.
Patrons who want a sit-down meal will have to present their vaccination cards as they enter and obey strict COVID-19 protocols which will include sanitisation and social distancing.