The government has directed that boarding students will not be allowed to travel home during the upcoming Easter holidays in a move meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The same restrictions apply to students who had travelled to urban or rural areas but are not boarders.
Students will have to stay put and wait for the Easter holidays to pass before they resume lessons next week.
Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare this Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutswangwa said:
Cabinet agreed that boarding school students should not travel to their homes for the Easter holidays as part of the strategy to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The learners should stay at their respective schools, given the congestion anticipated on public transport.
Schools reopened for exam classes on 15 March and for the rest of the grades on 22 March resulting in a shortened school calendar.
This year the Easter holiday starts on Friday, 2 April (Good Friday) and ends on ends 5 April (Easter Monday).
Meanwhile, Minister Mutsvangwa also said President Mnangagwa will make the necessary pronouncements to guide the nation during the Easter and Independence holidays.
If boarding students are not permitted to travel home for the Easter weekend then surely no travel should be permitted by anyone. On a more serious note, Easter is the highpoint in the Christian calendar and not to permit families to celebrate this religious festival is a gross violation of human rights. Suppose the country was in complete lockdown and children and parents were separated at the time of lockdown. It would have been imperative to put in place a process ensuring that minor children and parents are together.
This directive from the MInistry was issued at the weekend and it is sad that the churches have not uttered a word in protest. I stand to be corrected but I’ve not seen any protest.