28 May 2020

Southern region ready for schools re-opening

Ministry of Basic Education (MoBE) Southern Regional Director Mr Acronews Maseko has said preparations are on track for schools re-opening slated for June 02.

Standard seven, Form three and Form five classes are expected to re-open on June 02 while other classes will follow on June 16  and schools are to ensure compliance to COVID-19 pandemic regulations.

Mr Maseko told BOPA in an interview that they were in the process of hiring Safety Health and Environment (SHE) officers and deploying them to various schools across the region to ensure safety of learners.

The Regional Director added that the District Health Management Team (DHMT) trained a good number of teachers from various schools that would form part of the Southern Region COVID- 19 team.

He said more teachers would be trained by May 29 who would be assisting SHE officers in executing their mandate.

The region, which comprises of 162 schools, is also in the process of hiring cleaners for primary and secondary schools who will be disinfecting the learning environment and working on shifts basis.

He said all the schools under in the region have infra-red thermometers, adding cleaning of toilets and ablution blocks is on-going and all works were expected to be complete by May 30.

Mr Maseko said they had recommended the use of Public Address and intercommunication systems to disseminate information to avoid gathering in school.

He said they had started dispatching beds and mattresses to schools for possible suspected cases of COVID-19 where those with symptoms similar to those of coronavirus would be kept prior to seeing health officials but decried accommodation space.

Furthermore, Mr Maseko shared that schools have soaps, sanitisers and toilet papers, adding all secondary schools under his jurisdiction had a team of craftsmen working on installation of hand washing basins.

As for primary schools, he said, the council was doing everything to provide hand washing basins that were expected to be complete by May 31. Ends