The Basic Education Department has decided to delay the reopening of both public and private schools by two weeks. The department announced that pupils enrolled at public schools will now return to school on 15 February and not 27 January as originally planned. Teachers’ unions, experts and parents had raised concerns about children heading back to school while second wave of COVID-19 infections is increasing alarmingly.

Deputy Education Minister Reginah Mhaule said that given the pressure experienced by the health system over the past few weeks and the increase in the Covid-19 infections, the sector could not go ahead with its plans to reopen schools this month.