Holiday lessons remain banned

Government has warned schools against offering extra lessons during the holidays, reiterating the position that such lessons remain illegal.

Director of communication and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said extra lessons are illegal even for classes that will sit for public examinations later in the year.

"We have noted a trend that these schools are trying to circumvent the system by coming up with fancy names for these extra lessons," said Mr Ndoro.

"Some are terming them vacations, others are saying they are retreats, but what won't change is that these remain as extra lessons and extra lessons remain illegal for this term.

"Schools must stop misleading parents and pupils that they applied and got clearance from the Ministry, that is not true and any school that conducts these extra lessons must be prepared to face the consequences. Even if they apply they will never get the clearance this term," said Mr Ndoro.

He said extra lessons were banned because they could potentially fuel the spread of Covid-19.

"The danger with these holiday lessons is that there won't be proper monitoring taking place at these schools to ensure adherence to the Covid-19 prevention protocol.

"Hence they might expose both the learners and the teachers to this pandemic."