Schools, colleges and universities will no longer be used as Covid-19 quarantine centres for returnees since they will soon partially re-open, while hundreds of buses and kombis have joined the Zupco fleet to ease transport challenges.

Announcing the developments yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, speaking for the ad hoc Inter-ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19, said stakeholders were now working out the logistics for safe and secure conditions for children in examination classes to return to school and final year students to colleges and universities.

President Mnangagwa directed in his last national address that "public exam classes within schools and final year students at colleges and universities must be allowed to resume but with strict observations of the stipulated Covid-19 prevention measures".

The independent kombis, which were the backbone of public transport, have been banned although kombi and bus owners can apply to join the Zupco fleet as under the already existing franchise arrangement.

"The ZUPCO fleet (of buses and kombis) has been increased by between 300 and 800 to meet the public's growing demand for transport.