Government orders schools to open

GOVERNMENT has ordered schools not to send pupils back home in the wake of protests that rocked some parts of the country from Monday to Wednesday this week. Yesterday, some schools across the country sent students back home.

In an interview yesterday, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Paul Mavima said this was wrong. He said his Ministry had engaged security forces to guarantee the safety of school children after learning that five schools in Bulawayo had been vandalised.

"Schools are not supposed to be sending children home because we have appealed to the security forces to protect school children. Pupils should be going to school for classes as we have adequate protection from the security forces," he said.

Prof Mavima said he was unaware that children were not going to school as all schools had been informed to continue teaching children.

"I have received reports on five schools that were allegedly vandalised in Bulawayo which is why we have strengthened the security of children across the country to ensure learning continues as usual," he said.

The Minister said the Education Ministry was going to ensure that school programmes are not disrupted.

"Therefore parents and guardians should not worry when their children leave home going to school. I would like to encourage all schools to open and all children to go to school. The security forces will keep on protecting children so that children don't go missing," said Prof Mavima.

"As the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education we are notifying the nation to ignore messages saying school children should stay home until Monday. That it is falsehood and schools have no right to send children back home."