TANZANIA. Dar es Salaam – President Dr. John Pombe Magufuli declared that all schools closed due to Covid-19 will reopen on 29 June. While addressing the parliament on 18 June, President Magufuli said his government and people have worked together in the fight against the Coronavirus and now the virus has been defeated. However, the president encouraged people to continue observing health precautions as directed by the World Health Organization (WHO). He congratulated the members of parliament for their courage to keep working, despite the pandemic.
On 17 March, Tanzanian Education Minister Mr. Kassim Majaliwa, initiated the closures of all schools and universities as a way of preventing the spread of the virus.
President Magufuli is the only president in East Africa who refused to impose lockdown or close places of worship. In his argument, a place of worship is where people run to find solutions to their problems. Imposing lockdown also meant killing the country’s economy, and he said he wasn´t ready to see the economy of Tanzania sink. He made that bold move while other leaders are still restricting their citizens. By comparison, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta declined to reopen schools in June, claiming the rate of infection is still too high and asked the Ministry of Education to come up with a new calendar so schools may reopen in September. Many students have been adversely affected by school closures, especially those who were preparing for exams.
