This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
On Monday, June 29, 2020, Tanzania's students returned to class after weeks of closure as the country continued its emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following an order by President John Magufuli, kindergartens, primary, and secondary schools were allowed to resume learning, with the government expressing satisfaction with its handling of the pandemic.
As part of the country's strategy to curb the spread of the disease, schools were initially shut on May 17.
With the government now greenlighting a reopening of the country, including the education and tourism sectors, students trooped back to their classrooms wearing face masks as part of health guidelines to avoid another outbreak.
Those who did not adhere to the set regulations were turned back.
Veronica Mrope, head teacher of Makole primary school in Dodoma, emphasized that 'all precautionary measures against COVID-19 are in place to protect our pupils.'
Teachers at Dodoma Secondary School have decided to teach up to Saturdays to offset time lost when students went on a three-month leave following the outbreak of the viral disease.
At Barbro Johansson Model Girls' Secondary School in Dar es Salaam, matron Flora Tibaijuka reported that most students were reluctant to wear face masks, citing reasons such as difficulty breathing.
Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Joyce Ndalichako, had earlier stated that education would resume with strict adherence to health protocols to ensure safety for learners and teachers.
Tanzania has reported a total of 509 COVID-19 infections and 21 deaths, according to data from the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.
