South Sudan is set to partial reopen learning institutions in October amid declining COVID-19 positive cases in the country, reported CGTN Africa.
South Sudan Minister for General Education, Awut Deng Achuil, on Tuesday said the first phase of reopening that will begin on October 5 will involve only 75,000 pupils in primary 8 and 35,000 students in senior 4 across the country’s ten states.
“I am pleased to announce that the Ministry of General Education and Instruction has decided to adopt a phased reopening of schools,” Achuil said in a statement issued in Juba.
The minister said the partial school reopening for the candidates’ classes will enable them to complete the 2019-2020 academic year. She added that the decision to reopen schools was in line with an appeal by the council of ministers as the number of COVID-19 infections reduced drastically.
Achuil said primary 8 students will appear for their final examination in early February 2021 while senior 4 candidates will appear for their final exams in the third week of March.
“I call on all my daughters and sons in primary 8 and senior 4 to take this opportunity to go to school and prepare for their final examinations in February and March 2021, respectively,” said South Sudan’s education minister. “Schools during this time will adhere to COVID-19 protocols such as social and physical distancing and washing hands with soap.”
The minister said that kindergartens, nursery, primary and high schools will continue to remain suspended until April 5, 2021, when the new academic year is slated to begin.
“I know we are resuming school under difficult circumstances, but if we work together, we will overcome this challenge,” said Achuil.
South Sudan has reported 2,700 COVID-19 positive cases so far with more than 1,290 recoveries and 49 deaths recorded as of Tuesday.
