BY PATRICIA SIBANDA
COVID-19 scare forced Godlwayo Primary School in Bulawayo to temporarily-suspend examinations on Monday after persistent coughing hit several candidates.
Concerned parents told Southern Eye that panic gripped them following reports that their children had been affected by a persistent cough.
“Pupils started coughing during an examination and it was suspected that they might have contracted COVID-19,” said a parent who declined to be named.
“Authorities had to ask the learners to take a break before they were later allowed to proceed with the examinations.”
Bulawayo provincial education director Olica Kaira said the ministry had not recorded any incidents of examinations being disrupted over COVID fears.
“I did not receive any report of disruption at the school, but all l know is that the learners were given a break and they were later given time to finish off their examinations.
Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said over 4 000 learners who tested positive to COVID across the country had recovered despite the current upsurge in confirmed cases.
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“It is very difficult for me to give you the number of learners who have tested positive for the pandemic.
“All l can tell you is that, as a ministry we have received so many cases from all over the country and it becomes a challenge for me to tell you the exact number of the cases because they fluctuate every day and every hour,” Ndoro said.
“We have over 4 000 learners that have recovered from COVID-19 and a few hundreds have tested positive.
“I advise parents and learners to mask-up all the time and follow the COVID-19 regulations so that we can stop it from spreading all over.”
A number of boarding schools have closed over COVID-19 fears.
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