Govt stops mandatory Covid testing of learners

The government has stopped schools from mandatory testing of learners before their return to class, citing the heavy financial burden it imposes on parents.

The guidelines provided by experts on the safe reopening of schools do not include mandatory testing of learners, the director of Health Services, Dr Henry Mwebesa, said in a January 6 letter to the Permanent Secretary in the Education ministry.

“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to request you to instruct all school administrations to desist from demanding the learners to do Covid-19 tests prior to arrival in school or on arrival,” he said.

The Education ministry last month announced that primary and secondary schools would reopen on January 10 after higher institutions of learning reopened in November.

The reopening requirements included school officials ensuring adherence to standard operating procedures as stipulated by the Health ministry.

Many parents told this newspaper yesterday that schools had demanded mandatory testing of their children.

“It is expensive to test the children, imagine I have about four students going to school, the money involved is too much,” a parent said on condition of anonymity.

“This directive is a relief if the schools comply,” the parent added.

The Health ministry clarified yesterday that schools should put in place systems to monitor and isolate symptomatic cases and report them to the nearest health facility.

“If it is found necessary to test all learners in a school because of soaring numbers, Ministry of Health undertakes to do so, not private laboratories,” the letter added.

The ministry also asked schools to work closely with communities and nearby health facilities to address outbreaks. Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the ministry spokesperson, said they had responded to reports of schools extorting money from parents to conduct tests.

“The test kits are expensive and the ministry is making sure that parents are not so strained. If we find any school that is asking for these test results, the law will catch up with them,” he said.

“It is also not logical given the incubation period for this variant, you can test someone today and then find them positive tomorrow. If there are any sick students, we advise that they remain home until they get well,” Mr Ainebyoona added.

It is not clear how the Education ministry will enforce the directive or punish non-compliance. By last evening, officials from the ministry had not responded to requests for comment.

Mr Patrick Kaboyo, the national secretary for the Federation of Non-state Education Institutions, an association of private schools, said it would be hard for schools to comply with the directive since most of them operate under independent rules and regulations.

“Government can give guidelines but most schools have private rules and regulations which require mandatory health check-up, which Covid-19 is part of. If you restrict yourself to the directive, then it will be hard to implement because we have both day and boarding schools,” Mr Kaboyo said.

“The best would be for the government to implement the directive better. They can put specific hospitals to conduct mass tests for students at their own cost so that the requirement doesn’t strain parents,” he added.

JANET WARNS SCHOOLS ON FEES, COVID TESTS

In her address to the nation last evening, Education Minister Janet Museveni guided that “all educational institutions shall not increase fees from what was charged for the first term [of] 2020”. The minister expressed disappointment that in spite of clear government guidance, some schools decided to issue circulars to parents indicating blanket additional fees for S.3 and other classes.

Ms Museveni also stopped schools from asking parents to pay for Covid-19 tests or present negative Covid test results of their children before they are allowed into schools. “We think this is likely to increase the cost of education yet many families are already financially constrained by the effects of Covid-19,” she said.

“The technical guidance from the Ministry of Health says it is better to emphasise the preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19, including vaccination for eligible population, social distancing, hand washing and wearing of masks,” Ms Museveni said. The minister reiterated that negative Covid-19 results shouldn’t be a precondition for allowing learners back in school, especially those who are under 18 years old.

“These requirements are used to make parents pay. Schools should instead implement the Covid-19 guidelines; SOPs for education institutions and school surveillance mechanisms for early detection to prevent the spread of infections. She asked schools to work closely with health centres in case of any health emergencies and ensure that all staff and learners aged 18 years and above are vaccinated.

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