INFORMATION Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga says there is need for further preparations and monitoring  of the  COVID-19 situation in the country before schools reopen.

This is contrary to the statement by General Education Permanent Secretary Dr. Jobbick Kalumba who stated that schools will reopen on Thursday July 8, 2021.

In a statement, Malupenga said President Edgar Lungu through the secretary to cabinet directed heightened interventions to prevent Covid19 in the country.

“On Wednesday, 16th June 2021, His Excellency the President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, through the Secretary to the Cabinet Dr. Simon K. Miti, directed a number of heightened  interventions to further prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the country.His Excellency the President stated, among other things, that Government was cognizant of the negative impact COVID -19 has added to the education sector. However, he reiterated that as a country  we needed to put the lives of our leaners, teachers and other staff in our schools at the core of our decisions,” Malupenga recalled.

“Arising from the above, pre, primary and secondary schools were then closed for 21 days with effect from Thursday 17th June 2021 subject to review, inspection and certification of the schools, depending on how the COVID-19 pandemic would evolve. As for universities, colleges and other higher learning institutions, subject to the above conditions, they were directed to conduct only online classes for one month effective 17th June 2021. It was further directed that two weeks from 17th June 2021, joint inspections were to be conducted by the ministries of health, general and higher education in conjunction with the Disaster Management  and Mitigation Unit to inform further decision making. His Excellency the President also directed school authorities to use the closure period as an opportunity to conduct inspection, preventive, monitoring and maintenance  activities.”

He stated that the position has been reviewed and the situation is still been monitored.

“This position has since been reviewed and the preliminary assessment conducted on the readiness of the schools and higher learning institutions to re-open after 21 days of closure indicate that there is need for further preparations and monitoring  of the  COVID-19 situation in the country. While Government is resolved to keeping our learners in schools as we continue responding to COVID-19, we have to strike the delicate balance between saving lives and allowing learning to continue.”

“The COVID-19 situation in the country has  seen a generalized  person-to-person transmission of the infection with an average  positivity rate of 24%, increased admissions to hospitals and deaths of which leaners and  staff remain at risk. To this effect, a detailed assessment of schools, universities, colleges and other higher learning institutions countrywide will be jointly conducted by the ministries of health, general and higher education together with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit from  8th  to 15thJuly  2021 to further ascertain their readiness to re-open and resume normal operations. A decision will then be made on the way forward,  subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 situation in the country,” he said.

Malupenga said this statement supersedes any earlier statement.

“This will be done on a case-by-case basis in order to encourage those schools and institutions of higher learning who maybe lagging behind in terms of implementing the COVID-19 five golden rules to improve or risk indefinite closure. Therefore, this calls for diligence and aggressiveness from the school authorities in implementing these golden rules because the schools that will fall short of this standard will remain closed while the compliant ones may re-open and normalize operations.”

“Consequently, sanctions from higher authorities will follow those charged with the responsibility to man these institutions that may fail to meet the benchmark for re-opening. The preliminary assessment revealed that some institutions are doing more in observing the five COVID-19 golden rules while the majority have taken a laissez-faire attitude. Responsible officers will be held accountable. It will no longer be business as usual. This fight against COVID-19 calls for extra-ordinary input from all of us if we are to defeat it,” he said.

Malupenga said for now pre, primary and secondary schools remain closed.

“Until then, pre, primary and secondary schools will remain closed while institutions of higher learning will continue to offer only online classes. All these measures will be subject to review depending on how the pandemic evolves.This statement supersedes any other statement on this matter.”