Government reopens schools, orders return to work

JUBA – South Sudan government has ordered the immediate reopening of schools, Universities and other higher institutes of learning, according to the information minister and government spokesman Michael Makuei.

In March, the government ordered the closure of all schools and the reduction of employee in different sectors after the outbreak of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has killed several senior government officials.

Speaking to reporters on Friday following a weekly cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, Makuei said the government has resolved to reopen schools and also directed for the resumption of work in all sectors in the country.

“The cabinet has decided that all the higher institutes of learning should resume and should be reopened. As to went, this will be determined by the ministers of higher education and general education but schools should be reopened,” Makuei told reporters.

“The work should resume as usual from now onward, that is from next Monday because it is already Friday. We work should resume from on Monday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. This is very important because there is need for us to work because if we don’t work out economy will continue going down and collapse,” the senior government official said.

Makuei further warned against absence from work saying:  “So work will resume next week for all of us and there is nothing for someone to say that ‘I am sick’ if you are sick, come to the office with a medical report.”

“Some of the people have exploited the issue of COVID-19 and have gone silence for long and go for self-quarantine. There is no self-quarantine anymore.”