Who shall invigilate pupils with COVID-19?
WE note that the Primary and Secondary Education ministry has been adamant in its position that Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) examinations should proceed this week as scheduled.
We further note the announcement that COVID-19 positive pupils will sit for exams in isolation. We continue to query the practicability of this move, especially when the following questions are posed: Are pupils infected with COVID-19, in a healthy mental and physical state to sit for crucial examinations? Who will invigilate pupils sitting for exams in isolation? Has government provided adequate personal protective equipment to teachers, pupils and ancillary staff?
We commend the intensifying of security at illegal entry points, as a measure to limit the potential spreading of COVID-19 by returnees who are attempting to gain entry without being tested or subjected to quarantine.
We, however, raise concern in the manner in which some of the returnees are allegedly being handled, for example, being huddled together without physical distancing or sanitisation as they await being sent to quarantine centres. We highlight that this practice may increase the risk of infection among returnees before they are even committed to quarantine.
We, therefore, urge health authorities to ensure prioritisation of safety of returnees by ensuring that the handling of returnees is conducted in a safe and expedient manner, without opening them up to a potential risk of exposure to COVID-19.
We are deeply concerned about the complete relaxation of COVID-19 measures on the buses. In the context of the increased cases of COVID-19 and concerned with the low testing rate in the country, we note with concern reports from travellers indicating high level of inconsistencies in ensuring sanitisation on the buses.
While, we note that there is high adherence in requesting passengers to have masks, it does not translate to requests that passengers actually wear those masks.
Furthermore, there are clear inconsistencies in providing sanitisers prior to boarding buses and even usage of sanitisers during journeys.
We call for increased enforcement of COVID-19 measures on public transport to ensure that we reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 domestically due to travel.
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe