At least 10 teachers have been arrested and four primary schools closed in Kisoro district for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines.
The development follows an operation led by by Captain Peter Mugisha, the Resident District Commissioner and Emmanuel Mbonyebyombi, the District Inspector of Schools with the support of police personnel on Thursday.
The affected schools include; St Lawrence Pre and Primary School in Nyakinama sub-county, Blessed Future Primary School, Victorious Pre and Primary School in Nyarubuye sub-county and Bunagana Pride Pre and Primary School in Bunagana Town Council.
According to Mbonyebyombi, the closed schools were found teaching nursery section and primary one up to three yet the pupils are not supposed to be at school.
He added that the schools were also found without handwashing facilities in the compound. After the closure of the schools, the Inspector of schools, together with Mugisha immediately withdrew their certificates of compliance, implying that even after primary one to three pupils are cleared to resume, the schools will not be allowed to operate.
Mugisha says that government guidelines indicate that primary one up to three pupils are supposed to report to school on June 7, this year. However, the administrations of the accused primary schools were putting pupils’ lives at risk. He also faulted parents for accepting to be fooled by school administrators to defy government guidelines.
The Officer-in-charge of Kisoro police station Cleophas Naturinda confirmed that the ten teachers are being detained at Kisoro police station as investigations into the matter continue.
