130 districts receive face masks for candidate learners

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Schools in 130 districts have received face masks for candidates in P7, S.4 and S.6 as a measure to observe the standard operating procedures that were put in place by government before the reopening.

This follows the presidential directive to the ministry of education to reopen schools for candidates and finalists and ensure that SOPs are observed including putting on face masks to cover the mouth and the nose.

Some schools that Uganda Radio Network – URN visited confirmed that they had received the masks.

Grace Nyendwoha, the headteacher St. Mariam Duggan primary school shares that she was called to pick masks for the 35 pupils last Friday and they were given 70 masks for the learners and for the teachers and support staff.

She adds that the masks given by government have helped to supplement on what the parents had already provided for their children during the reopening on October 15th.

Another deputy head teacher Alice Nabwire of KCCA Kamwokya Primary School says she picked 400 masks for 200 pupils. Nabwire explains that the school has 187 pupils although they are still registering new candidates. She notes that the task is now left for the teachers to ensure that the pupils use the masks appropriately to minimize the chances of spreading COVID-19.

One of the learners, Samuel Kisakye, a primary seven pupil of KCCA Kamwokya Primary School says he received two masks yesterday from his class teacher. He notes that he is not comfortable with putting on masks all the time but he does it for the good of his health and always gets some time to put it off when in isolation.

Bridget Alinda, a primary seven candidate at KCCA Kamwokya Primary School says she got the mask yesterday and will make sure she washes it everyday.

Meanwhile, the director basic and secondary education at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ismael Mulindwa has said that government has procured face masks for all the 1.4 candidates in both government and private schools.

According to Mulindwa, over 2.8 million masks were procured to enable each candidate get two face masks and masks are ready to be picked by the district education heads.

Mulindwa says that face masks will be issued to candidates by the heads of schools working with the heads of education at district level. He notes that Wakiso and Mukono districts are being handled last because they have more students.

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URN