President Emmerson Mnangagwa has today extended the lockdown by two weeks and announced that schools remain closed.
The Zimbabwean leader said it is clear that the country is not yet in a position to re-open schools, colleges and universities.
“A number of health conditions must be met first to guarantee the safety of pupils, students, teachers, other workers in the education system and the entire nation,” he said.
“To this end, the two Ministries of Education are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development with regards to the necessary steps towards the reopening process.”
The President went on to say the reopening strategy will prioritise students who are taking final examinations this year.
“Government is aware that there are final examination classes which are scheduled to complete their studies this year, including others who were left with a few weeks to complete their programmes,” he said.
“Furthermore, the two ministries (of Education) are working with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and our cooperating partners to put in place online and distance learning facilities to ensure that the students continue having access to learning materials.”
“The announcement of the reopening dates will be made at the appropriate time, but for now, schools remain closed,” he went on.
The two weeks lockdown extension has been relaxed to Level 2 with the reopening of industry and commerce in the formal sector. The informal sector is to remain closed.
“It is imperative that our nation continues to act on two fronts, namely saving lives on one hand, and saving the national economy, on the other hand,” Zimbabwe’s leader said.
