President Edgar Lungu has directed that Examination classes in both Primary and secondary Schools should reopen on 1st June 2020 on condition that schools enforce all public health guidelines, regulations and certification.
The President has also directed the Ministry of Health and the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit to ensure that face masks, hand washing soaps and sanitizers are prioritized to all schools and health centers for distribution and use starting with those in examination classes.
He has further directed the Ministers of General and Higher Education to engage and consult various other stakeholders on the possibility and modalities of reopening non examination classes, colleges and Universities in the near future.
In his fourth address to the nation on the coronavirus pandemic, President Lungu said as much as all classes of learners are important for children, government must cautiously and strategically manage the reopening of schools in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And President Lungu said in keeping up with the new normal brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, he has seen it inevitable for restaurants to revert to their normal operations on conditions that they adhere to all public health guidelines regulations and certification.
He has directed the reopening of cinemas, gyms and casinos while adhering to the prescribed public health guidelines regulations and certification.
The President appealed to Hotels, Lodges, Tour Operators, Internet Cafes and event Management Companies that voluntarily closed as a result of the pandemic to consider getting back to normal operations.
He acknowledged that the pandemic and the public health measures government has implemented to address the coronavirus pandemic have impacted negatively on the economy and if the status quo remains, the economy will plunge into the worst crisis Zambia has ever experienced.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has announced that Zambia has in the last 24 hours recorded 14 new cases of the coronavirus pandemic from the 683 tests conducted.
He said these comprise six truck drivers tested in Chirundu, two health care workers in Lusaka and Kabwe respectively, one contact to a positive case, one from routine screening at Ndola Central Hospital, three patients from health facility screening and one Tanzanian screened in Chililabombwe.
This lungu nut has to go with his most corrupt PF party in the history of Zambia’s existence. I just done understand why zambians support such level of corruption,, zambians by and large are very intelligent people….. Sic
Excellent speech by the president. Steering the nation in the right direction.showing strong direction and leadership. I am very exhausted preparing for this day. We have worked so hard all week with sleepless nights analysing so much data and advice from various specialists. Now time for me to unwind and take a sip of some red wine while listening to my favourite music. Kz
Currently at home and shattered
John do you know why you don’t understand? It’s because you mind is locked thinking just corruption. There is more development issues to talk about. Corruption is just a small fraction .. widen your thinking..corruption talk is now boring . Think out side corruption .
My only worry is that our learning institutions may find it difficult to maintain their pupils/students one meter apart from each other. If they do this, it means one pupil per 2 sitter desk and this implies getting more desks and more classrooms and more teachers. This may be too difficult to achieve in the short term. We are also getting into cold season where the virus causes more havoc. If we do not manage it well, it will cause untold misery.
Reopen of lets be in place with a great protection from the teachers