High Covid vigilance at parks as learners travel to school

There has been a high  level of observance to standard operating procedures (SOPs) as students return to school for term one in central region.

In Kampala City,  police officers and members of transport operators’ associations were deployed around the parks on Monday to ensure that passengers adhere to  Covid-19 SOPs.
At Kisenyi, security officers took the temperatures of travellers. 

In the Old Taxi Park , several travellers were reminded to wear face masks and sanitise their hands.  Those without masks were denied access the park.

“We are not allowing anyone without a face mask to set a foot in the park.  Fortunately, most of the passengers are following instructions. Not much emphasis has been put on vaccination cards because we know that some travellers, especially students have not yet been vaccinated,” Mr Hussein Kiwanuka, a guide from the Federation of the Uganda Taxi Operators, said.

Mr Kiwanuka also said transporters had not hiked the fares like it has usually been when learners report back to school or during the festive season.

“The drivers have adhered to standard fares that were set by the government in partnership with the transporters. Taxis heading to Iganga are charging Shs13,000,” he said.

In his New Year’s address to the nation, the President tasked the Ministry of Education to create a detailed plan to prevent and mitigate traffic congestion in the Kampala Metropolitan area during the reopening of schools.

As a result, the Education ministry and that of Works, Kampala Capital City Authority, the bus and taxi operators and district education officers from Mukono, Wakiso, Mpigi, and Kampala agreed on a plan to ensure that transportation of students to schools is efficient, safe and affordable.

According to the plan, A-Level students and boarding pupils in lower primary from Wakiso and Mpigi districts reported back to school on January 10. 

The O-Level students and boarding pupils in Primary Five, Primary 6, and Primary Seven from the same districts reported yesterday.

The O-Level students and boarding pupils in Primary Five, Primary Six and Primary Seven from the same districts will report today. 

 O-Level students and boarding pupils in Primary Five, Pimary Six and Primary Seven in Kampala and Mukono will report back to school tomorrow.