Were Form Ones and Twos not at John Tallach school during COVID-19 spike, as claimed by official?

John Tallach Secondary School in Matabeleland North, where more than 100 COVID-19 cases have been reported. PHOTO: Zenzele Ndebele

CLAIM: Form Ones and Twos were not at school during the John Tallach COVID-19 spike.
Source: ZimLive
RATING: INCORRECT. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says all students were back in school at the time of the reported spike.

John Tallach secondary school in Matabeleland North has reported a major COVID-19 outbreak, which first broke out during the last week of October and spiked early November.

To date, the school has recorded more than 100 confirmed coronavirus infections.

In an article posted on November 17, private news site www.zimlive.com quoted the acting provincial medical director for Matabeleland North, Dr Munekayi Padingani saying not all pupils at the school as of that date.

In line with a government-sanctioned plan, schools have reopened in phases, starting with exam classes on September 28, followed by Grade 6, Form 3 and Lower Sixth or Form 5 on October 26. The last phase saw the rest of the students going back to school on November 9.

Taungana Ndoro, spokesman for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, told ZimFact that all students had returned to school by the time of the spike, contrary to the health official’s claim.

“The school had actually just opened for phase three. So right now it is under quarantine. When this virus came to John Tallach, phase three had already happened, so yes, officially, Form Ones and Twos were there at the school because schools had opened on the 9^th of November for everyone else,” Ndoro said.

CONCLUSION:

The acting provincial medical health director for Matabeleland North’s claim that some students – in Forms One and Two – were not at school as at November 17 has been disproved by an authoritative source – the responsible ministry.