COVID-19: GEMS Cambridge School to close operations

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt life and businesses around the globe, GEMS Cambridge International School, Kampala (CIK) will close business in Uganda in December.

According to Mr Riz Ahmed, the chief executive officer, GEMS Africa; the decision to close the school that was established in Uganda in 2013, was made after exhausting all options.

He said in a statement that the pandemic and the resulting uncertainties have proved “exceptionally testing” with shrinking enrolment numbers as well as their ability to sustain operations.

“As a result of these circumstances, we have been forced to make some very difficult decisions, and it is with great sadness that I am writing to advise you that CIK will close after the first term of the new academic year, with 31 December 2020 as a tentative closure date,” Mr Ahmed said in the statement.

Schools in Uganda were closed in March a week before the government announced a nation-wide lockdown that was enforced for two months.

Although some sectors have resumed operations, schools are yet to be cleared to resume operations.  

Mr Ahmed said that since the decision will cause significant disruption to students and their families, management will do whatever it can to lessen the impact and ensure the upcoming transition is as smooth and seamless as possible.

 “We welcome our students to remain with us through Term 1 with the option of enrolling in the remote learning offering at Hillcrest International School in Nairobi, Kenya either now or at the start of Term 2. We very much intend for all of our staff to continue working and serving the school through until its closure date, and will endeavour to assist you with the next steps in your education career,” he said.

Mr Ahmed said in the statement that workers’ salaries will paid at the full rate as per their employment contracts.