Zimbabwe’s government closed all schools and colleges on March 24, 2020, in response to the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In making the announcement, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said government would determine the date when schools and colleges will open again after assessing the situation. Although Mnangagwa has made a couple of other subsequent announcements on measures the government is implementing to manage the situation, he has not spoken about the re-opening of schools and colleges.

Patrick Zumbo, a spokesperson in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, confirmed that the message circulating on WhatsApp, regarding the re-opening of schools, was fake.

“It’s not true, we are yet to be guided on when schools will open. We closed schools early because of the coronavirus and we await a directive on when to commence lessons,” Zumbo said.