The question on everyone’s minds when it comes to education in Zimbabwe is: When will schools reopen? The last time schools had any sort of activity whatsoever was when June candidates were essentially coerced into writing their June exams in what turned out to be a chaotic operation with reports that some villagers were roped in to become invigilators after a number of teachers refused to be part of the operation. In general, schools haven’t opened since the end of the First Term which was curtailed in March.
So what does the government have to say about this? Well it seems the government hasn’t made up its mind either:
We are presently monitoring trends, particularly Covid-19 local infections. If they continue escalating, as they are doing now, we will have to defer re-opening further mainly as a means of protecting our learners and teachers.
As a ministry, we have continued readying ourselves for the eventual re-opening through the purchasing of PPE and perfecting our (education) modules.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo
Mr Moyo also said that the government was in the process of making tweaks to radio lessons as an alternative. The lessons were supposed to begin in June but so far they have been erratically broadcast and that is not a surprise. There are too few radio stations thanks to the government’s obsessive desire to control every radio station out there they only issued licences to a few state affiliated entities. Community radios are also still to take hold. The radio idea is just that an idea.
The government has also said that they are in the process of trying to create physical modules so that students can learn from home. Sadly this takes time and we haven’t seen the results yet.
