Grapevine

What you need to know about govt Mpox guidelines to schools

The Ministry of Education and Sports, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has issued new guidelines to prevent, detect, and control Mpox within schools across Uganda.

This directive, aimed at all school heads and local governments, is essential to safeguarding the 15 million learners enrolled in the country’s 73,000 educational institutions.

In a September 27 circular, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, highlighted the heightened risk of Mpox transmission in schools due to crowding.

"As schools re-open for the third term, the Ministry of Education and Sports, alongside the Ministry of Health, Unicef, and WHO, has developed guidelines to prevent, detect, and control Mpox in school settings. These measures will protect learners and staff while minimising disruptions to school activities,” Dr Turyagyenda stated.

She emphasised the need to protect learners across all educational levels, including the two million in pre-primary institutions, 10.7 million in primary schools, two million in secondary institutions, and one million in post-secondary institutions.