Effective Monday, January 18, all nursery, primary and secondary schools will be closed in the City of Kigali, the Ministry of Education has announced.

The decision, which follows the upsurge in Covid-19 cases in the capital, has been taken to further contain the spread of Covid-19. Kigali has over the past days been the hot spot for the pandemic.

According to a statement released on Sunday, January 17 by the Ministry of Education, the schools will be closed for two weeks before the ministry revises the guidelines.

The number of cases in Kigali has recently seen a steady rise, having recorded over a half (139) of all the 277 covid-19 cases recorded countrywide on Saturday, January 15, while 159 of the 257 cases recorded countrywide on Friday, January 15, were also from the capital.

“Boarding students will remain in their respective schools and will continue to get essential services,” the ministry said, encouraging remote learning.

Meanwhile, all other schools outside Kigali will continue teaching and learning activities, respecting Covid-19 prevention measures.

Temporary closure of schools in Kigali comes at the time young learners from lower primary and nursery schools were getting ready to start classes on Monday, January 18, 2021, after 10 months of Covid-19 forced “holidays”

The Ministry of Education announced nursery and pre-primary schools would resume physical learning after parents voiced their concerns over the “delayed” reopening.