Paul Nyathi

Government is in for a torrid time after rushing to force schools to open without ensuring proper Covid-19 precautions this after the number of pupils who have so far tested Covid-19 positive at John Tallach Secondary School in Ntabazinduna, Matabeleland North province rose to 100.

Acting Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Munekayi Padingani said they were first called to test five suspected cases and the results were positive.

He said by Monday, the figure had risen to 100.

“By Monday 100 pupils had tested positive with 73 have mild symptoms and 27 are asymptomatic,” he said.

The school initially suspended learning for two weeks after the five pupils tested positive for Coronavirus early last week.

The latest figures will certainly rile teachers’ unions who opposed the re-opening of schools for the third term, warning that the government was ill-prepared to protect both learners and teachers from the virus.

The affected pupils have been released to their parents to self-isolate at them, according to Taungana Ndoro, the director of communications in the ministry of primary and secondary education.

“Lessons have now been suspended for 14 days and movement from dormitory to dormitory has been prohibited whilst teachers have been asked to stay within their cottages,” Ndoro told journalists at the onset of the infections at the school on Friday last week.

John Tallach enrols 600 students with over two dozen teachers.

Ndoro was keen to sidestep questions about the government’s decision to reopen schools in the middle of a pandemic. Teachers’ unions say schools have no masks, sanitisers and personal protective equipment for teachers after the government forced the re-opening of schools since their closure in March when the virus was first confirmed.

“The ministry is pleased with the manner in which its standard operating procedures for the prevention of Covid-19 are taking effect. There’s screening for Covid-19 at all schools and all independent colleges,” Ndoro maintained.