The government of Rwanda announced that at least 3,000 COVID-19 sample tests shall be collected in schools as part of stepped-up efforts to ensure the safety of students.
Thousands of Rwandan students return to classrooms on November 23.
“We started this week in partnership with Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), and we aim at testing at least all categories of students in all parts of the country,” Education Minister Valentine Uwamaliya said.
The exercise, which ends on Sunday, November 22, will also determine whether the second cohort of students return to their respective schools as planned.
The decision will depend on the magnitude of the risk in a particular school, Uwamaliya.
“Of course if there is a big number of infected students in a certain center, we should first be able to settle the problem to ensure that there is no risk for the incoming students,” she added.
The minister reiterated that the plan was not to close down schools, but to ensure that there is a solution to the problem.”
Dr. Menelas Nkeshimana, the Team Lead for COVID-19 Case Management and Coordinator for the Western Province, noted that at least 500 sample tests shall be collected in every province.
Headteachers have also been asked to relax guidelines in place if their school does not record any cases
Meanwhile, one parent Martine Uwacu Karekezi, while speaking to New Times Rwanda expressed concerns that testing should be done for both children at school and those that are set to return.
“It is better that all of them are tested. Those who have been at school, but also those that have been at home.”
