Govt clarifies on lockdown measures
Government clarifies its position on the eased lockdown measures that include international travel and reopening of schools.
In a statement, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Hon Mutsvangwa said government would like to clarify the following matters with regard to the easing of the lockdown measures, and therefore sets the record straight.
Testing at Ports of Entry In order to facilitate faster and easier discharge of returnees, it was decided that those travellers who presented COVID-19 free certificates issued 48 hours from departure would be discharged for self-quarantine. However, those travellers who displayed COVID-19 symptoms regardless of having a valid COVID-19 free certificate will have to be tested at Ports of Entry, along with those who do not have COVID-19 certificates. The cost of this testing, which is USD60, will be borne by the traveller.
Civil Servants Salary Negotiations Government is aware of the challenges facing civil servants including teachers and is committed to improving the welfare of its workers. Consultations are currently underway to consider the request by the Apex Council in the last negotiating meeting held with Government. On its part, Government has maintained the USD75 COVID-19 allowance up to the end of December and the 40% cost of living adjustment, which the workers have requested Government to improve, has been paid and will reflect in civil servants accounts by end of day tomorrow.
Normally, Government does not effect salary adjustments without a signed agreement, but we have had to go out of our way to cushion our dedicated workers. Meanwhile negotiations at the National Joint Negotiating Council will continue and any agreement arrived at will be honored in the spirit of collective bargaining. Government has had a long history of negotiating with its workers in good faith and increases negotiated should not work against the stability that has been achieved on the financial markets and price stability as this will fuel inflation again and erode the gains we have achieved. I appeal to civil servants to be patient and allow negotiations to be concluded.
The re-opening of Primary and Secondary Schools The re-opening of Primary and Secondary Schools is in three phases. The 1st phase which was implemented on Monday, 28 September 2020, was the resumption of classes for the 2020 three examination classes — Grade 7, Form 4 and Form 6. The second phase will be implemented on 26 October 2020, and will see the resumption of the 2021 examination classes — which are this year’s Grade 6, Form 3 and Form 5. The third and final phase will be implemented on 9 November 2020, where all other classes will resume learning.
Presently, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is seized with finalizing catch-up learning strategies for learners so that they make up the time lost during the COVID-19 lockdown. Bearing in mind that our children have not been in class for 6 months, those who are writing national examinations are receiving accelerated catch-up learning to prepare for their exams. Measures are under way for Phase 2 and 3 learners to also hit the ground running, through remedial support programmes.
The accelerated catch-up learning and remedial support programmes are part of immediate, short – medium and long term measures to counter the obvious and hidden impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on our learners. Our goal as Government is to make sure that learners will proceed to their next grades in 2021 having caught up with their lessons. Schools will therefore close on 18 December 2020 and re-open early on 4 January 2021 to make up for lost time.
The resumption of learning for examination classes has been smooth, given that there had been a six month break. Every school is being manned, with each school that has opened for the exam classes being administered by a headmaster. Meanwhile, basic PPEs that include face masks, sanitizers and disinfectants have been distributed to all public and independent schools.
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