Schools will reopen on Monday, August 30 for examination classes and the rest of the students will resume learning on September 6, the cabinet has announced.
Schools were supposed to open on June 28 but were deferred due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Addressing journalists at a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare on Wednesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the government had made necessary assessments and consultations towards a safe reopening of schools.
Regarding the primary and secondary education, the collaborations between the ministries of Primary and Secondary Education and Health and Child Care has buttressed the sector`s COVID 19 prevention and management systems. The two ministries met with provincial teams to evaluate the progress in the implementation of the joint operational plan of the standard guidelines for the coordinated prevention and management of COVID 19 at these learning institutions.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education also met with teacher organisations and deliberated on the safe reopening of schools among many other issues. Noting with satisfaction the preparations for the resumption of classes, cabinet wishes to advise the nation that schools will reopen on the 30th of August 2021, that is for examination classes, and on the 6th of September 2021 for non-examination classes.
She added that intercity and intracity travel would be allowed to facilitate the movement of students to schools, “subject to close monitoring by law enforcement agencies.”
The cabinet minister also announced that restaurants would now be allowed fully vaccinated sit-in customers.