Education officials in Uganda have warned parents not to pack hand sanitisers for their children returning to school on Thursday, fearing that it could result in alcohol abuse, Daily Monitor reports.
Schools should instead ensure there’s water and soap at different sites, Benson Kule, the commissioner directorate of education standards, said.
Mr Kule said that if students were allowed to carry hand sanitisers some could use the opportunity to bring alcohol to school.
“Sanitisers can be used for offices and teachers alone and not for learners. The alcohol content is very high. Learners are young people. They should be protected. Some will be carrying waragi [gin] saying it is a sanitiser and you will not be able to tell. You will end up with a drunk school,” he said.
Final year students in primary and secondary schools will resume learning on Thursday, six months after the country imposed a lockdown to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government will monitor the performance of the phased reopening before other classes are allowed to join in, the Daily Monitor reports.
