Covid-19 at schools under control

Ntsoaki Motaung

Following the reopening of schools in February 2022 when Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and schooling was no longer in shifts; Covid-19 has since seemed to remain under control.

This was revealed in an interview with the Ministry of Education’s Principal Secretary of Basic Education, Dr Lira Khama, who indicated that since the new model of schooling since the imminence of the pandemic no reports of Covid-19 scare have been received from anywhere in the country.

He said even though the only institution that has access to Covid-19 results at first hand is the National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC), they have not received any reports from either the schools or NACOSEC that there are schools recording high Covid-19 cases. “The pandemic seems to be under control,” Khama said.

He said even though schools’ operations have gone back to normal, schools are still expected to continue to abide by World Health Organisation (WHO) and NACOSEC’s health rules and protocols.

 â€œSchools operations are back to normal. Schools are now allowed to go on their career trips as well as hosting different kinds of sporting activities,” he said.

Khama said schools were supplied with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that included hand sanitizers, masks as well as soap for washing hands regularly.

The Principal of ‘Mamoeketsi Primary School, Mpeo Makhetha indicated that since reopening of schools, things have been under control and they have been working hand in hand with the Ministry of Education.

“To show that we have been working right with the Ministry on Monday we received PPE that included sanitizers and soap from the ministry to help us continue to abide by the health rules and protocols,” she said.

On the same note, the Principal of Lithabaneng High School, Sephunyane Leboea stated that since schools were reopened in February, the school has not recorded even one case of Covid-19.

“I would say things are back to normal. When we used to come to school on shifts, that challenged us with a load of work but now we are doing fine since we are always at school,” he said.

On the same breath, Lesotho High School principal ‘Matiisetso Ramothamo said the school is supplied with PPE by the Ministry of Education and since the reopening of schools they have not run shot of PPE.

 â€œI however cannot confirm if we had not had cases of Covid-19 because we are not testing students at school. If one presents flu like symptoms they are sent to the hospital and most of the time they are not tested but treated for flu,” she said.