Africa-Press – Uganda. Students, parents and religious leaders have formed a joint taskforce to compliment the government’s effort in the fight Covid-19 in schools ahead of their reopening next year.
The taskforce, which consists of officials from Uganda National Students Association (UNSA), Mothers Union, Father’s Union, and medical students will ensure that schools are following the right procedures.
Speaking during a press conference in Kampala yesterday, Mr Samuel Mulindwa, the president of Father’s Union, said they are slated to mobilise funds to ensure that schools have the required standard operating procedures before schools reopen.
“We shall inspect and make abrupt visits to schools in our jurisdiction to ensure that they are obeying the guidelines put in place by the government,” Mr Mulindwa said.
“Even when a new Covid-19 variant comes, the government should never close schools again. Government can always manage the cases within the schools as opposed to releasing them to the community,” he added.
The president of UNSA, Mr Yusuf Walunga, said they are slated to mobilise more than 2,000 medical students, who are not yet employed to help the Ministry of Health conduct screening and testing of students in schools.
Mr Walunga said the ministry will be required to train the medical students on how to test for Covid-19 and report cases.
“Some medical students who just completed and are not yet deployed are willing to volunteer as midwives, nurses and lab technicians when schools reopen. They are ready to get trained in Covid-19 rapid testing and how to manage mild cases,” he said.
Prof Samuel Majalija, the deputy principal of College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity at Makerere University, said since they are training lab scientists, they are ready to train para-medical students who will be willing to test students when they report.
Ms Dorothy Kiguddu, a leader in Mother’s Union, said they are slated to mobilise mothers to motivate their children, especially those who get pregnant to report to school when they reopen.
“A lot has happened during the lockdown, including our girls getting pregnant. We as parents and Mothers Union shall use our circles to mobilise mothers to play their role when schools reopen,” Ms Kiguddu said.
Government first closed institutions of learning in March last year and for the second time in June this year.
Since then, primary and secondary schools remain closed, something that has seen a number of learners lose interest in education after joining the labour market, while a huge number of female students got pregnant.
The Minister of Education, Ms Janet Museveni, will release the school calendar and reopening plans tomorrow .
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