CI-NEWS

Schools to reopen on 1st of June 2020.

2020-04-20

No: 491

Schools to reopen on 1st of June 2020.

Cameroon’s Prime Minister Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute has announced that schools might reopen on the 1st of June, 2020 in all educational establishments across the country after they were closed amidst an outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic last March 18.

The Prime Minister made the declaration last Thursday April 16 in Yaounde, at the end of an interministerial meeting on the evaluation of the implementation of Government’s anti-COVID-19 measures.

According to Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, this decision taken by the Head of State H.E Paul Biya is subject to change depending on the evolution of the pandemic in the country.

The Prime Minister equally made two other important announcements; the extension of Government’s anti-COVID-19 measures by five new days and the urgent finalization of the study to assess the impact of the Coronavirus on the national economy and an urgent determination of accompanying measures to be implemented to support the most affected sectors as well as the most fragile households. Below is the special declaration of the Prime Minister Head of Government Joseph Dion Ngute on April 16, 2020 on the Government response strategy to the coronavirus pandemic:

“Ladies and gentlemen,”

The inter-ministerial Committee in charge at monitoring the implementation of Government’s response strategy to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this Thursday16 April 2020, held its weekly meeting to assess on-going actions.

Four major observations were made at the end of the various reports presented during this meeting.

Firstly, it appears the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 continues to increase. Statistics provided by the Ministry of Public Health show that 996 people have been infected, against 731 on 9 April.

However, 164 people have been declared healed from COVID-19, while 22 deaths from this virus have been reported. As a result, the mortality rate of COVID-19 remains very low in our country compared to the total number of patients testing positive and to the situation in other countries.

Secondly, it was noted that the population largely adheres to the measures prescribed by the Head of State to limit the spread of CIVID-19 in Cameroon.

The measures concerning the compulsory wearing of protective masks in areas open to the public is welcomed and applied by a very large majority of our compatriots.

In this regard, I would like to state that the technical standards and specifications recently published by the Minister of Industry are not intended to give a few companies the monopoly in producing masks.

The aim of these standards is to improve the quality and effectiveness of masks produced by our local industry, and even artisanal masks produced by our tailors and seamstresses, in order to increase the level of individual and collective protection.

Moreover, the mask does not stop compliance with social distancing measures.

I would like to observe that markets are still a major area of concern.

I, therefore, call for a sense of civic-mindedness and responsibility, for better flow in markets.

Thirdly, the Government has taken full measure of the difficulties faced by certain key sectors of our economy as a result of the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am thinking in particular of the transport, hospitality and catering sectors.

In this regard, I would like to say that the restrictions that have been imposed on these sectors and many others since 17 March 2020 are certainly difficult to bear or manage, but essential to protect the national community, given the magnitude of this global pandemic.

It goes without saying that the restrictions inherent in this health crisis will be gradually lifted as the pandemic is brought under control nationally and internationally.

Fourthly, the Government notes with satisfaction the mobilization of national and international stakeholders in the fight against COVID-19 in our country.

I would like to seize this opportunity to thank these stakeholders for their generosity and solidarity by accepting to support us materially and financially in the fight against this pandemic.

There is every reason to believe that actions being carried out in various fields to limit the spread of this virus in our country are already producing encouraging results and deserve to be intensified on the ground until this pandemic is eradicated.

It is in this regard that the Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, has taken the following three decisions:

1. The renewal, for an additional 15 days, of the 13 restrictive measures published on 17 March 2020 as part of the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in our country, to which are added the additional measures communicated on 9 April 2020,

2. The resumption of classes, on the indicative date of 1 June 2020, in all schools and universities, as well as in vocational training centers and professional schools.

It is understood that this measure is subject to change, depending on the evolution of the pandemic.

3. Urgent finalization of the study to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the national economy, and urgent determination of accompanying measures to be implemented to support the most affected sectors, as well as the most fragile households.

The Head of State has instructed me to congratulate the specialized teams of the Ministry of Public Health and all other sectorial administrations for their daily investment in the implementation of the measures adopted to contain this pandemic.

To conclude, the Committee’s findings to date give us reason to be optimistic about our ability to contain this pandemic.

To this end, I would like once again to urge the population to continue being actively involved in implementing the measures prescribed by the Head of State, by remaining mobilized and vigilant, and above all, by working closely with the Government to overcome this pandemic.

Thank you”.

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Schools to reopen on 1st of June 2020.