Following interruptions in the last academic year occasioned by Covid-19 outbreak, many have expressed concerns regarding the academic year ahead and wondering when and how it will start. Innocente Uwineza, a mother of two children; one in lower primary and another in secondary school, said that she has no idea when the schools will reopen because she needs to get time and prepare school fees and school materials that she will need to buy. “I will have to pay school fees again in less than a month, but the issue is I need to be prepared and better plan for a way to find money again once I know the time frame of the academic year and the real dates of when the schools starting,” she added. Justin Nsanzumuhire, the headteacher of Nyakagarama High School in Nyagatare district said he has registered concerns from parents and students who are in the dark because they do not know when they are supposed to start. “Some parents expected the new academic year to start in September, which is very soon, and some have been inquiring about the exact dates of sending their children back to school,” he added. Alphonsine Dusabeyezu, Head Teacher of Groupe Scolaire Kimironko that they have been teaching lower primary pupils for the last month, and the classes will stop on September 17, but they do not know how long the break will be before they start another academic year. Christa Isaro, a student in senior five said she has concerns about going to school when she is not ready, and has not prepared herself. “When we left school they did not give us any communication on when to come back, my biggest concern now is if they announce the time to go back to school before we have enough time to buy the materials we need which will make some students late because they are waiting to get the necessary materials and school fees before coming back to school,” she said. Speaking to The New Times Gaspard Twagirayezu, Minister of State in charge of Primary and Secondary Education in the Ministry Of Education said that they are still planning for the school calendar and it will come out soon. “The issue with the school calendar now requires many consultations, because we have to put into consideration issues like Covid-19, the marking of national examinations that is still going on, then after we will put it out,” he said.
