The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports on 9th February 2021 issued a circular on dates for Opening of Education Institutions For Non-Candidates Classes and Non-Finalists For Academic Year 2020, which had been earlier announced by on 4th February evening by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during his address on covid-19 pandemic and school reopening.
Download PDF below for circular.
Overall, the academic year 2020 will end in July 2021. That way we can say this academic year should have ended in December 2020, but because of COVID, they it will end in July 2021. So that the learners after six months more, they complete their academic year. Thereafter, a comprehensive school calendar for 2021 academic year, as well as a strategy for recovery of lost time, will be issued. Progression to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of class work and assignments.
Full Text in circular
9th February 2021
To: Vice Chancellor of Universities,
All Chairpersons Local Council V.
All Resident District Commissioners,
Executive Director. Kampala Capital City Authority
All Chief Administrative Officers,
Director Social Service, Kampala Capital City Authority,
All Town Clerks, Municipal Councils
All District Education Officers,
All District Inspectors of Schools,
All Municipal Education Officers,
AH Municipal Inspectors of Schools,
All Directors of National Teachers’ Colleges
All Principals, Primary Teachers’ Colleges, Technical Institutes, Farm Schools, and other Tertiary Institutions,
All Head teachers: Government & Private Secondary, Primary Schools and Community Polytechnics.
OPENING OF EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS FOR NON-CANDIDATES CLASSES AND NON-FINALISTS FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2020
Reference is made to the public statement issued through the media by the Hon. Minister of Education and Sports on Friday 5th February 2021. In the statement, the Hon. Minister guided that the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Sports will issue a detailed calendar indicating the dates when all other classes will report back to school.
The purpose of this circular, therefore, is to inform you as follows:
1. P6, S3 and SS will report back to school on 1st March 2021, study for 14 weeks and break off on 21st May 2021.
2. P4 and P5 will report back on 6th April after PLE examinations, which end on 31 March 2021. They will study for 8 weeks and break off on 4th June 2021 to allow lower primary classes to report back and use the school facilities.
3. P1, P2, and P3 will report back on 7th June 2021 and study for 8 weeks, which will end on 24th July 2021.
4. S1 will report back on 12th April 2021 and study for 14 weeks, ending on 3rd July.
5. S2 will report back on 31st May 2021, after S3 and S5 classes break off and will study for 10 weeks, ending on 24th July 2021.
(‘See the chart below for details’)
6. Students in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, Primary Teachers’ Colleges (PTCs) and National Teachers’ Colleges (NTCs) shall report back starting on 1st March 2021 and follow a shift system to ensure that the Covid-19 SOPs are strictly observed.
7. Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions shall reopen in a phased manner starting on 1st March 2021. The face-to-face sessions should be conducted in shifts and should be prioritized for courses and course units that require practical hands-on and laboratory work.
The dates indicated on this calendar may only be varied after obtaining written permission, on an individual basis, from the Permanent Secretary on recommendation of the Director Basic and Secondary Education or Director Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Ministry of Education and Sports, as the case may be.
Please, note that academic year 2020 for primary schools, secondary schools and post primary education institutions will end in July 2021. Thereafter, a comprehensive school calendar for 2021 academic year, as well as a strategy for recovery of lost time, will be issued. Progression to the next class will be based on attendance and continuous assessment of class work and assignments.
The Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Health will be issuing updated comprehensive guidelines on effective management of the Covid-19 in education institutions, including a pandemic surveillance system in the schools
Alex Kakooza
PERMANENT SICRETARY
C.C: Hon. Minister, Ministry of Education & Sports
Hon. Minister of State for Higher Education
Hon. Minister of State for Primary Education
Hon. Minister of State for Sports
Watch President Museveni’s earlier address on this.
