Government is now assessing churches to use as alternative quarantine centres as the country focuses on opening schools for this year’s examination classes, Broadcasting and Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed in a media brief.
The country has been using schools and tertiary institutions as quarantine centres for COVID-19 suspects as well as travellers back from other countries.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa allowed Zimbabwe’s education system to open for only examination classes despite the facilities being used as quarantine centres.
“Currently, some of our learning institutions are being used as quarantine centres. With regards to the Cabinet decision on the imminent opening of schools, universities and colleges which are currently being used as quarantine centres, alternative quarantine centres are being identified and assessed so that they can house returning Zimbabweans,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Alternative quarantine centres being assessed include churches, Vocational and National Youth Service Training Centres.”
The government offered schools and tertiary institutions to open on the 1st of June 2020.
“To ensure that our learning institutions are ready to receive students, no new returnees will be admitted at these institutions,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Those who are presently quarantined at these schools will continue mandatory stay and once they are released the schools will be rehabilitated and disinfected.”
“All learning institutions will be disinfected as a condition for them to be re-opened and take in learners,” she went on.
Players in the education system have been raising use of learning facilities to oppose the Zimbabwean leader’s decision to open schools earlier.
A union also doubted the country’s education system in handling the safety of participants in the opening of education facilities citing lack of financial capacity to procure protective equipment as well as training workers in responding to a suspected COVID-19 case.
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