The Ministry of Education and Sports has issued transport guidelines for learners and teachers as schools prepare to reopen for candidates next month.
The ministry said no learner or teacher will be given permission to use general public transport including taxis, vans and boda bodas when schools reopen.
According to officials, public transport poses a great risk to the spread of COVID-19 more especially at a time when the country is seeing a surge in the number of cases reported daily.
The Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza said school administration shall register all learners and their mode of transport, especially for those in urban centres where public means are commonly used.
Kakooza noted that learners and teachers in urban government schools shall not be allowed to move to and from school on general public transport, including taxis and buses, but rather designated buses.
“The schools working with urban authorities shall organise dedicated vans or buses on designated routes to transport learners including learners with special needs who cannot walk or be transported privately to school,” he said during news conference on Thursday.
Kakooza said learners who walk to school or are transported by private means may continue to do so but should not use public transport on any occasion.
Parents are advised to identify schools nearest their home to enrol their children for the meantime to avoid risks, unnecessary costs and inconveniences of long-distance travel to schools.
Officials suggested that institutions with large number of candidates who cannot be accommodated in the available rooms with social distancing shall make arrangements to operate in shifts.
Officials also advised schools to reduce on holding co-curricular activities, assemblies, and external mocks as one way of recovering the lost learning time.
He advised schools to ensure that the observation of the recommended social distancing of at least 2 metres including other COVID-19 standard operating procedures.
Kakooza said the ministry is still considering having learners and teachers in high risk areas like Kampala more so those in boarding schools to be screened before they commence with teaching and learning.
