Ministry of Education yesterday released the official timetable for reopening of schools in a phased manner to manage the learners in the face of Covid-19 as they close 2020 academic year.
According to the ministry’s schedule, the sub candidate classes of Primary Six, Senior Three and Senior Five will report first on March 1 and study for 14 weeks, breaking off on May 21.
Primary Four and Five classes will study for eight weeks starting on April 6 after Primary Leaving Examinations and end on June 4 to create space for lower primary pupils in Primary 1, 2, and 3 to come in on June 7.
“Primary 1, 2, and 3 will study for eight weeks which end on July 24,” the ministry’s permanent secretary, Mr Alex Kakooza, said in a statement.
Mr Museveni closed all education institutions abruptly in March last year after the coronavirus outbreak. The institutions were in their first term of the academic year and subsequently missed two terms in the year.
Mr Kakooza said Senior One students are expected at school on April 12 to study for 14 weeks which end on July 3 while Senior Two will report on May 31 after Senior Three and Senior Five classes have gone for holiday and study for 10 weeks which will be concluded on July 24.
The release of the time table comes two days after Daily Monitor broke the story of the full schedule of school’s reopening.
Mr Kakooza said this return to school timetable will mark the closure of 2020 academic year with some classes getting a longer term and others staying at school briefly.
However, the new school calendar does not offer how or when the next academic year will begin.
Mr Kakooza indicated that when learners return, they will only look at covering the syllabus that was expected to be covered in two terms and in case they don’t conclude, a new strategy will be issued to guide how the lost time is recovered in the coming academic years
“Academic year 2020 for primary schools, secondary schools and post-primary education institutions will end in July. A comprehensive school calendar for 2021 academic year, as well as a strategy for recovery of lost time, will be issued. Progression to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of classwork and assignments,” Mr Kakooza noted.
He added: “In that calendar, there is no holiday. Let us first complete that calendar. We will talk about holidays after. We are trying to finish this academic year.”
He also said all students in technical and vocational institutes and teacher training colleges were cleared to report on March 1 while university students will report in a phased manner because their facilities can’t accommodate their current enrolment under a two meter social distance required by the Ministry of Health.
Summary of timetable
•Primary Six, Senior Three and Senior Five will report on March 1 and study for 14 weeks, breaking off on May 21.
•Primary Four and Five classes will study for eight weeks, starting on April 6 and end on June 4.
•Primary 1, 2, and 3 to come in on June 7 and study for eight weeks, which will end on July 24
•Senior One students are expected at school on April 12 to study for 14 weeks, which end on July 3.
•Senior Two will report on May 31 and study for 10 weeks, which will be concluded on July 24