By Frank Kamuntu
Kampala: Last night HE. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni addressed Ugandans about the state of coronavirus in the country and also issued guidance on schools reopening through revised guidelines to be followed by school administrations, students/pupils and other stakeholders in a bid to curb the notorious virus’ rapid transmission.
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Key of what he said, Museveni revealed that the resumption of studies for semi-candidate classes will kick off on March 1, 2021, to add onto the bunch of candidate classes who are currently studying.
“Since we opened for candidate classes it is now 3 months. Out of 1.3 million learners, only 257 have reported with COVID-19 and nobody has died. That was a success as a result of a calculated risk. Since this has worked, we have now decided to open for the semi candidate classes. Students in S.5, S.3, and P.6 are the next category because the other ones are going to finish,” Museveni said.
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Museveni added that it is now safe for semi-candidate classes to resume studies since, by the time they begin school, students in candidate classes like P.7, S.4 and S.6 will be on their way out of school.
On the above point, Museveni urged learners and schools to observe the standard operating procedures as they wait for the vaccines which are scheduled to arrive in the country before the end of this month.
“We are putting much effort into getting the Covid-19 vaccine. We are preparing to start the vaccinations at the end of February or early March. We shall start with the health workers, security personnel, teachers, and then the elders,” Mr Museveni said.
“From April 6, after the candidate classes have gone away, we shall announce the detailed plan for the rest of the learners who are in the lower classes. We are organising this in a way that a group of students come and go away and then others also come in,” he added.
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President Museveni said the universities and tertiary institutions will open in March in a staggered manner. He revealed that the academic year 2020 will end in July 2021.
On the other hand, Museveni poured some hope to victims of COVID-19 in other sectors like bars saying that he hasn’t forgotten them despite their continuous closure, promising that they will be opened after the country secures a vaccine.
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He noted, “If we say ‘bars open but serve from outside’ this could be valid but these are drunkards, people who are not sober, will they follow that? I will feel much happier if we get a vaccine then things will be easy.”
