With schools set to reopen next week, the Ministry of Health has issued a warning to schools to desist from stressing parents with Covid tests saying that testing is not a primary requirement.
Since the latest presidential directive to have schools reopened, a number of learning centres across the country have raised notices requesting their learners to have Covid19 tests before arrival for the new term.
In a statement dated January 06, Dr. Henry Mwebesa the Director General of Health Services confirmed that they have received information of schools directing their learners to do Covid19 tests before the reporting date.
He said they are also aware of many other schools that have actually prepositioned private laboratories to test students on arrival at the cost of parents and guardians.
Mwebesa however, said testing of pupils or students on admission or before arrival is not the official position of the Covid19 National Task Force. He said much as the idea might be appropriate, schools should not use it as a gate pass for parents and students.
“The National Covid19 guidelines for safe reopening of schools that were jointly developed by the MoES and MoH, provide specific guidelines on how learners will safely return to schools. Testing learners on arrival was not one of the recommendations,” Mwebesa raised.
“The major recommendations in the guidelines were based on three pillars including putting in place a system for strict compliance to Covid19 Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) in every school. Establishing a system for monitoring and isolating asymptomatic cases in every school and reporting to the nearest health facility.”
He said if it is found necessary to test all learners in a school because of soaring members, the Ministry of Health undertakes the mandate to do so and not the private laboratories.
Mwebesa said in all schools, the staff and parents will work closely with the communities and nearby health facilities to address Covid19 related issues that might arise.