By Own Correspondent- Government has directed schools that were affected by Cyclone Idai to close and re-open two weeks before the second term starts on May 7.

The order comes after the realisation that the current environment was not conducive for learning to continue.

In an interview on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo who is in Chimanimani, also said Government has availed $4 million for the reconstruction of schools in affected areas.

He said the schools which have since closed are expected to open on April 23, two weeks before the second term starts for pupils in the affected schools to make up for lost time.

He said:

“We have ordered that some schools in affected areas be closed as a way of stress reduction and rehabilitation.

We told them to close early especially the boarding schools, even day schools because they lost a lot of things.

Our strategy now is we know that these children are traumatised, some of them from home due to deaths in the families, some of their family members are missing, the level of trauma is very high so no meaningful learning can take place in that environment that’s why we said they must close.”-StateMedia