KAMPALA — Education Ministry has dismissed as false a communication on term opening purportedly attributed to the Chairperson of the COVID 19 Taskforce, stating that Education Ministry decided that schools to reopen next year.
According to document that was making rounds on social media, candidate classes will return to school in August 2020, national exams will be held early 2021 while other schools will also open next year and that the matter was okayed by Education ministry
But Mr Patrick Muinda, the Education ministry spokesman commenting on term opening developments said the information communicated is false, misleading and must therefore be dismissed and ignored.
“Ministry of Education and Sports does not issue Circulars and Policy guidelines through Social Media as a formal channel for Policy Communication”, he says.
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‘The formal communication with regard to the guidelines for re-opening schools will therefore be communicated to the Public as soon as the final consultative process ends,” he said.
He also says education minister Janet Museveni will issue guidelines for reopening schools on Monday.
President Museveni directed the Ministry of Education to prepare a plan by June 4 to give guidance on how candidate classes/finalists will resume studies.
He said the Education of Ministry together with Ministry of Transport also guide on transport for learners in border districts.
“When it comes to the students who will have to come back and join the other finalists, if they can walk to the schools we don’t have a problem. For the rest, Ministry of Education, will have to work out a plan,” he said.
Full statement by Ministry of Education
Clarification on the re-opening of schools
By Patrick Muinda
The Ministry of Education and Sports has learned of a communication purportedly attributed to the Chairperson of the COVID 19 Taskforce that is unfortunately making its rounds on social media.
The writer of this false information states that The Chairperson of the COVID 19 Taskforce has released a ”Recommendation on the re-opening of schools due to COVID-19 crisis”.
I now wish to state and clarify as follows:
1. The information communicated is false, misleading and must therefore be dismissed and ignored.
2. The Ministry of Education and Sports does not issue Circulars and Policy guidelines through Social Media as a formal channel for Policy Communication.
The formal communication with regard to the guidelines for re-opening schools will therefore be communicated to the Public as soon as the final consultative process ends.
There will be a Press Conference to clarify issues that may require clarification. The conference will be held on the same day the guidelines for reopening schools will be issued. The time and venue will be communicated.
This therefore is to assure our learners, the public, parents and other stakeholders that the Ministry will disseminate the guidelines for the re-opening of schools and Institutions as soon as final consultations over the same are concluded very soon.
A formal press release to this effect will be circulated to all media houses for immediate dissemination on the morning of 22nd May 2020.
Stay Safe and
May God bless you All.
Asst. Commissioner – MoES
