The pandemic resulted in all schools in Uganda closing in April. In November the government allowed schools to start reopening for certain year groups but only once certain conditions had been met by schools. These requirements included each school too have; a temperature gun to check each child, PPE supplies to enable safe hand washing and pupil care, a trained member of staff to monitor the children and staff and to manage any cases and a designated space where any suspected cases could be isolated.
For many schools these requirements were simply unaffordable.
The Link was able to help. The Headteachers of each school within the Link were given sufficient money to enable the requirements to be put in place and some year groups were able to start returning to school from the start of November.
The numbers of children allowed back has been very limited and generally it is the children with exams due allowed back. They have to be socially distanced and one positive outcome is that this has resulted in classes of 20 to 30 pupils as opposed to the normal 100+.
It is not certain when more pupils will be allowed too return.
A common problem for many of the schools when they reopened was that the children's families could not afford to provide food for them in school. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on family incomes. The Link was able to help by providing a grant to each school to help give the pupils a daily meal.
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