Mbabane: After a five days virtual retreat for the cabinet ministers, there seems to be no firm decision made regarding the reopening of schools.
It is almost a year now since schools were closed in Eswatini in March last year. In South Africa schools has also been closed for almost a years, but last week the Ministry Education announce that private sector schools were allowed to return from Monday (1 February), while public sector schools are only set to reopen on 15 February.
On Friday cabinet ministers finished their five days retreat which was held virtually. Reporting on the outcomes of the retreat Acting Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku despite explaining governments plans regarding education, but there was no mention of a clear date regarding the reopening of schools.
Making his remarks Masuku noted the negative effects that the pandemic has brought into the education system. “The negative effects of the pandemic has been drastic to our educational sector as schools have been closed for close to a year now”.
“Consultations are still ongoing to determine when schools can be opened with the safety of our children, teachers, parents and all educational stakeholders a priority”, he said
Government was swift to respond to the effects of the pandemic last year by providing education lessons on Radio, Television and on Newspapers. Efforts to reopen schools were made but they proofed futile as some of the grades ended up not opening due to the risk and the virus gaining momentum.
The virus which got stronger on its second wave which started in December blocked planes by the minister h of education who had earlier announced that schools will open early January. The minister had said the school calendar will have four terms to allow students and teachers to cover the whole syllabus.
To date schools has not yet happened despite private schools and tertiary institutions proceeding with lessons using online learning tools.
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