Government warns schools against reopening
Minister of Education, Science and Technology William Susuwele Banda has warned private schools against opening their institutions when the ban imposed to fight Covid-19 is still in place.
Banda was speaking after touring Ntcheu District Council to appreciate interventions the council is putting in place to fight the outbreak which has killed two people in Malawi and infected 14 others.
The minister said the government has received reports that some private schools have reopened while others are informing parents about their intentions to open although the directive to close the schools has not been set aside.
“It is said that some private schools are putting money first instead of prioritising the safety of the children. We will not bother much but simply withdraw their licences,” Banda said.
He also said the government has tasked some officers to develop online and distance-learning manuals to help teachers deliver lessons during the school shutdown period.
According to Banda, the materials will be delivered through radios and internet for learners who have access to the communication channels.
“The materials we have will cover for both primary and secondary learners. But we need a bit of time to organise ourselves. We need to find means of reaching out to the learners so that they make progress while at home,” he said.
He also disclosed that the Special Cabinet Committee on Coronavirus, which he is a member of, is looking at possibilities of repatriating Malawians living in South Africa and other countries who are struggling to make ends meet due to lockdowns.
Ntcheu District Council Director of Health and Social Services, Isaac Mbingwani, said inadequate space at the hospital is throwing spanners into efforts to implement the social distance aspect among people who visit the facility.
“Of course, we have managed to come up with a solution to attend to people in organised turns. We are also conducting community mobilisation to ensure that people appreciate the importance of observing social distance without being forced to,” he said.
