Secondary students across Rwanda have started to return to their respective schools from Thursday as classes are set to resume next week across the country with instructions to observe strict safety regulations, a senior official from the ministry of Education told APA in Kigali.
The Ministry of Education decided to suspend all schools and universities due to the coronavirus outbreak in Rwanda in mid-March this year.
Ahead of resuming activities at some schools, measures like handwashing stations, physical distancing, mask wearing and temperature checks are being integrated into school life, Rwanda’s minister of Education Dr Valentine Uwamariya said.
In case of an emergency, or if there is a student showing signs of COVID-19coronavirus, the senior Rwandan government officials said that all schools have been instructed to establish a two-room dispensary to help such students.
“We have requested schools to set aside two rooms where students that show Covid-19 signs, or even when there is an emergency can be taken,” she said.
Besides the dispensaries, other measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in schools include having in place hand washing facilities, ensuring that students and staff wear face masks and observing social distancing.
Uwamariya said that secondary schools under the national programme have until November in order to be allowed to reopen.
“International secondary schools will also reopen this month, but those that are under the national programme will resume next month under specific guidelines,” she said, adding that a detailed time table will be provided to guide the process.
The reopening of other sections, including nursery and primary schools will be determined by the experience with those that will have reopened.
CU/abj/APA