SCHOOL REOPENING: Huge Blow to Students as Top Minister Advises Museveni to halt reopening over looming Covid19 Third Wave

A day after it emerged that Ministry of Education and Sports had okayed reopening of schools to a few classes, science, technology and innovations minister Dr Monica Musenero has advised government against allowing learners back to school.

On August 30, a consultative meeting of education stakeholders between education ministry officials and heads of education bodies resolved that schools reopen their gates to pupils in P1, P2 and P3 as well as S1-S2 students.

Education minister Janet Museveni is expected to present suggestions from the meeting to cabinet.

But now Dr Musenero, an epidemiologist trusted by President Museveni, has warned cabinet against reopening schools over a looming third wave of Covid19.

“What we expect now is the third wave and we are seeing some signals of the third wave coming,” Musenero told Daily Monitor.

“If the third wave comes and we already have increasing cases to show that it is coming then you can’t reopen schools.”

She added that not even the vaccination of teachers and students would guarantee reopening of schools once a third wave attacks the country that is still reeling from a devastating second wave.

“We said [that reopening of schools] depends on the vaccination of teachers and children above 18 years [but] we also look at the epidemiological state of the country,” added Musenero.