Minister of Education, Janet Museveni (PHOTO/Courtesy).
KAMPALA — The Ministry of Education has suspended all school visitation days and leavers parties with immediate effect until the conclusion of the current school term.
This is due to the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease.
The ministry announced in a circular it posted on its official Twitter handle.
“As you are aware, the country is experiencing an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
This is a very serious disease that poses grave danger to us all if its spread is not effectively controlled. Institutions of learning are of particular concern because of the concentration of persons,” the circular read.
The ministry asked the management of all learning institutions to take extra care to ensure effective infection prevention by strictly observing and implementing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provided by the health ministry.
“Given that some positive cases have now been confirmed among learners from families of known contacts, it is necessary to strengthen the existing infection prevention measures at the school level,” the circular read.
Six students from three schools in Kampala tested positive for Ebola, according to the health minister, Jane Ruth Aceng, signalling a significant escalation of the disease.
According to the circular signed by Ismael Mulindwa, the assistant commissioner of private schools and regulations, the concentration of students in educational institutions makes them a special source of worry.
The education ministry called upon the public to observe the heightened vigilance and effective implementation of the standard operating procedures to control the spread of the outbreak and save lives.
“It is vital to reinforce the current infection prevention efforts at the school level given that several positive cases have now been verified among students from families of unknown contacts,” it said.
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