School holiday cut to 2 weeks
BY OLIVER SAMBOKO
GOVERNMENT has reduced the school holiday period to two weeks in a bid to recover the time lost during the abrupt closure of schools following the outbreak of covid 19, Education Minister Dennis Wanchinga announced yesterday.
Dr Wanchinga said at a media briefing in Lusaka, that the holiday will be for a period of two weeks only from August 28, 2020 to September 14, 2020.
The Minister also advised parents to consider allowing their children to remain in boarding school in order to reduce the strain on family resources and allow their children to study and catch up and prepare for their examination.
He however, said the pupils who are going to remain during the two weeks holiday will be expected to pay K200 for upkeep. Dr Wanchingacalled on school authorities in the country to ensure that all learners that wish to stay in school during holidays are accorded opportunity to do so and ensure they continue providing a safe environment. He also disclosed that during the same two weeks holiday, the Ministry was going to conduct GCE and Grade 9 External examinations.
He explained that government understood that the holiday period will be very short thereby making it challenging for learners to travel to their homes but however, said that it was up to the individual families to decide to allow their child to join them during the two weeks break.