Kampala – Jan 6, 2022
As the education sector fully re-opens next week, the ministry of health has distanced itself from a decision by some schools demanding learners to do COVID19 tests before admission into schools.
In a letter dated January 6, 2022 addressed to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Sports a copy of which was obtained by this website, the health ministry says it has received information that some schools are directing students to do covid19 tests before reporting to schools and that others have pre-positioned private laboratories to test students on arrival at the cost of the students.
“Ministry of health would like to advise that testing of pupils/students on admission or before arrival is not the official position of the covid19 guidelines for safe reopening of schools, that were jointly developed by ministry of education and sports and ministry of health to provide specific guidance on how learners will safely return to schools.” Reads part of the letter signed by Dr. Henry Mwebesa the Director General Health Services.
It adds that the major recommendations in the guidelines were based on three pillars which include putting in place a system for strict compliance of COVID19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in every school.
The others are; establishing a system for monitoring and isolating symptomatic cases in every school and reporting to the nearest health facility. “Following this, if it is found necessary to test all learners in a school because of soaring numbers, ministry of health undertakes to do so; not the private laboratories.” The letter adds
Another one is ensuring that in all schools, the staff and parents work closely with the communities and nearby health facilities to address COVID19 issues in the school.
The ministry of health has now requested its education counterpart to instruct all school administrators to desist from demanding that learners do COVID19 tests prior to arrival in schools or on arrival.
