With some schools partially opened education authorities in The Gambia are racing against time to provide essential items to students and teachers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Gambia currently has 36 cases and two deaths from the disease which was first reported locally in March.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education said the minister and other senior officials began a tour of schools in the capital Banjul and surrounding areas on Wednesday to assess whether the national Covid-19 response has reached such institutions of learning.
Such essential items include face masks and disinfectants.
The whistle-stop tour of schools will be countrywide and will involve interactions between students, teachers and officials from the education ministry officials on health safety issues.
During one such interaction, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Louie Moses Mendy said teachers constitute the front line of the learning sector and should therefore be prepared to run schools amidst a raging global pandemic which shows no sign of abating.
Over 9 million Covid-19 cases have been reported worldwide with Africa accounting for over 300, 000 infections and some 8,000 deaths.
Gambians schools expect to be in full throttle next month ahead of exams.
WN/as/APA