SCHOOLS REOPEN FOR THE SECOND TERM WITH STRICT ORDERS TO ENFORCE EBOLA SOPS

The government has directed schools across the country to strictly enforce Ebola prevention measures as learners return for second term today amid concerns over the Ebola outbreak.
The Ministry of Education and Sports said it will deploy teams of experts to schools starting today to monitor compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) recently issued by the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of the deadly viral disease in learning institutions.
Dr Joyce Kaducu, the pre-State Minister for Primary Education, urged school managers, teachers, parents and transport operators to fully adhere to the health guidelines to ensure the safety of learners and staff.
Dr Kaducu said they have just been discussing the issue of confirming the opening of the second term for our children, and knowing that this is a very important term where learners have to concentrate and teachers have to intensify learning, yet it is opening at a time when the country has registered five cases of Ebola.
Dr Kaducu urged the public to remain calm, saying the outbreak will be manageable if preventive measures are followed.
She said that unlike Coronavirus, Ebola is a little bit easier to manage noting that the contact cases have been followed, isolated, and screened every now and then.
Under the Health ministry’s SOPs, schools are required to establish temperature screening points at entrances and restrict access to anyone displaying Ebola-like symptoms.
The guidelines also direct schools to provide hand washing facilities with clean water and soap at classroom entrances, dormitories, dining halls, toilets, and staff rooms.
Schools are further expected to regularly disinfect classrooms, dormitories, toilets, bathrooms, school vehicles, and frequently touched surfaces.
Other measures include enforcing regular hand washing, ensuring proper waste disposal, minimising non-essential gatherings and assemblies, avoiding physical contact such as handshakes and hugs, and setting aside isolation areas for suspected Ebola cases.
Schools have also been advised to conduct routine health monitoring of learners and staff while sensitising the school community to avoid contact with body fluids such as blood, saliva, sweat, vomit, urine, and stool.
The ministry directed schools to immediately report any suspected Ebola cases to the nearest health facility, Village Health Team (VHT), or Community Health Extension Worker.