By Dr Takavafira Zhou
As Ptuz, we have always been clear that gvt must put in place covid abatement equipment in schools and in particular test teachers, pupils and ancillary staff before congregation in schools. Sadly, the Ministry officials through propagandist, Taungana Ndoro, claimed that they had conducted supervisions in schools and found a high level of preparedness. The Ministry, therefore, misled Cabinet into recommending the opening of schools prematurely.
Lies have short legs as shown by a quantum leap of covid 19 cases in schools since last month, viz,
1. Prince Edward High School, Harare, 7 cases.
2. Dove Sec School, Mberengwa, Midlands, 40
3. Sacred Heart Primary School, Esigodini, Mat South, 117
4. Sacred Heart High School, Matabeleland South, 114
5. Girls College, Byo, 3
6. Umzingwane High School, Mat South, 55.
7. Mzilikazi Primary School, Byo, 8.
To assume that this is a result of boarding schools allowing pupils to travel over Easter as Taungana Ndoro would like us to believe is not only unfortunate but scandalous, vague and vacuous. Ndoro must be reminded that cases at Prince Edward and Dove Sec pre-date Easter. What is logical is that teachers and pupils congregated in schools without testing, and infected pupils/ teachers introduced the infection to others. It is difficult to do some contact tracing since people converged in schools without testing. Above all, bloated classes and congested hostels are facilitated spread of covid 19 in schools, as well as total absence of covid 19 abatement equipment in such as masks, sanitizers, running water etc. The $750 million allocated for covid 19 abatement equipment has gone into private pockets as there is no evidence that it filtered into schools.
We therefore urge gvt not to listen to propaganda manufactured by the Ministry officials but to sober professional trajectory from teacher unions. The time to prioritise the health and safety of teachers and pupils is now. We reiterate our long held view that there is need to conduct testing of teachers, pupils and ancillary staff in schools. Gvt can only ignore this at the decimation of teachers and pupils in schools. Health workforce and pupils is must for quality public education, so likewise is a living wage. Zimbabwe can only ignore this at the peril of the education system.
Venceremos
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)
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