Semi-Candidates Allowed to Return to School as Bars Remain Closed
President Museveni has further eased the lockdown on schools, announcing that learners in semi-candidate classes will resume studies on March 1, 2021 after staying away from school for close to a year.
This was contained in his address about the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“After carefully analyzing the Covid-19 situation, we have now decided to open for the next candidate classes on March 1, 2021. These are Primary 6, Senior 3, and Senior 5,” Mr Museveni said.
In March last year, President Museveni ordered the closure of schools and suspended religious congregations among other gatherings in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Since then, there has been the partial reopening of different sectors, something Mr. Museveni said has been systematic and calculated.
As he has been doing, the president urged learners and schools to observe the standard operating procedures including social distancing, wearing of face masks, regular hand washing among others 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 organizing this in a way that a group of students come and go away and then others also come in,” he added.
Mr 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.
The president said that they haven’t forgotten about other sectors that are still closed for instance bars, adding that these will be considered for opening when the country gets the vaccines.
“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,” Mr Museveni said.
He appealed to Ugandans to continue following the health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
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