The government has warned teachers and parents that they are exposing children to the deadly coronavirus through conducting private lessons at undesignated facilities.
This follows reports claiming that some teachers are conducting private lessons, so as to make money since the reopening of schools for the first term was put on hold indefinitely.
Primary and Secondary Education Ministry’s director of communications and advocacy, Taungana Ndoro, on Tuesday said conducting extra lessons in the midst of a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic is discouraged. He said:
The ministry’s and Government position is very clear; we don’t allow teachers to conduct extra lessons in facilities that are not designated and lacking standards approved by the Government.
We strongly encourage parents not to take their children to these illegal lessons as they risk exposing them to the virus, making it explosive.
Ndoro urged parents to protect their children by adopting technology and use online learning materials that are provided by the government. Ndoro added:
We urge parents to adopt technology and use online learning materials that are provided. Children can enjoy the lessons from the comfort of their homes and gadgets.
As a ministry, we condemn these teachers offering lessons and parents taking their children there as we are seriously concerned about the standards that these illegal facilities will be lacking including proper monitoring of social distancing, face masking, sanitising and exchange of learning materials including notebooks.