This archive report was first published on 11 September 2021.
As schools in Burundi prepare to reopen on Monday, September 13, 2021, the country is grappling with a surge in Covid-19 cases. The Ministry of Health has made Covid-19 screening mandatory for students returning to school.
According to Jean Bosco Girukwishaka, spokesman for the Minister of Health, students in secondary school and boarding schools must undergo mandatory testing, while others may do so voluntarily.
Mass testing for students, teachers, and staff members of boarding or secondary schools began on Friday, September 10, 2021, and will continue until Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
The Ministry of Health has attributed the recent surge in Covid-19 cases to non-compliance with preventive measures against the pandemic. The government's Covid-19 report dated September 6, 2021, revealed a daily average rate of new Covid-19 cases of 154 since July 21, 2021.
Meanwhile, in Uganda, schools remain closed despite vaccination efforts. The government has hinted that schools will only reopen when all teachers and non-teaching staff are vaccinated.
Since the closure in May 2020, only a few classes have had in-person lessons. Students from other classes have not attended school since.
Information and National Guidance Minister Chris Baryomunsi has stated that clear safety measures must be put in place before schools can reopen. The Ministry of Education spokesperson, Denis Mugimba, reports that about 183,000 teachers have been vaccinated out of 550,000 targeted, in addition to about 180,000 non-teaching staff.
