At least two head teachers in Kabale district are in police custody after they were arrested on Thursday on allegations of opening up their schools for learners without Covid19 clearance certificate.
Although government allowed schools to resume teaching today after seven months of closure because of Covid19, schools have to be inspected first by a team comprised of officials from ministries of health and education.
Among the things schools must have in order to resume teaching include social distancing where each classroom must have about 15 learners, handwashing facilities, temperature guns and sickbays.
Police spokesperson for Kigezi, Elly Mate, said the teachers’ action was interpreted as an act of disobedience of lawful orders and likely to spread infectious diseases.
Mate named the arrested teachers as Tukamushaba Moses, 41, the head teacher of Kigezi Cleveland High school on Kabale -Katuna road and Asimwe Lea, 39, a proprietor of Excel Modern primary school also on Kabale -Katuna road, Kitumba sub county, in same district.
Police further explained that the teachers were arrested by the schools’ inspection team headed by the Resident District Commissioner –RDC Darius Nandinda accompanied by District Education Officer –DEO when they visited the schools and found that they had already allowed in learners yet they had not met any of the requirements necessary for reopening.
“They are being held for flouting the Covid19 guidelines which is against the MOH preventive measure and presidential directives,” Mate said.
Police said inspection is still going on thus warning that any school that will be found having opened without the inspection certificate will be held responsible and charged accordingly. The teachers are being held and investigated on SD 29/15/10/2020.
Uganda has more than 10000 Covid19 cases and 96 fatalities while close to 7000 have already recovered from the contagious disease. Worldwide, Covid19 has killed more than 1 million people.