Zimpapers Logo

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter

SCHOOLS will reopen for the 2021 calendar on a phased approach with examination classes commencing on March 15 while the rest of learners will resume classes on March 22.

Teachers for examination classes are required to report for duty on March 10 while the rest are supposed to be at their workplaces by March 17.

Schools closed on 18 December after briefly opening last year.

They were set to reopen on January 4 this year before Government indefinitely postponed their opening following a spike in Covid-19 cases.

In her post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said there shall be rotational school attendance in classes where learners cannot exercise social distancing

“Cabinet agreed that the school calendar for 2021 starts on a slightly phased approach, with the examination classes opening on 15th March and the rest on 22nd March 2021. Teachers for examination classes should therefore report for duty on 10th of March, and the rest on 17th March, 2021,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said on the days when learners are not at school, they will be engaged through strategies such as open distance learning and e-learning with relevant modules already under production.

“Among the catch-up strategies, all continuing classes will start with 2020 work. Syllabi have been compressed to facilitate accelerated coverage.  Both Primary and Secondary school levels will follow three levels of accelerated compressed syllabus coverage,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.