Confucius Institute in Uganda reopens after months of closure due to COVID-19 pandemic

KAMPALA, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Confucius Institute at Makerere University in Uganda has reopened for physical classes after being closed in June due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that the east African country was facing.

Gilbert Gumoshabe, the Uganda director of the institute told Xinhua by telephone on Tuesday that classes resumed on Monday, after a government directive that all institutions of higher learning reopen on Nov. 1.

"We closed in June for physical studies and decided to opt for online studies following the escalation of COVID-19 cases. But we have now reopened for our students to attend lectures physically," he said.

Patricia Nandekya, a first year student of Chinese language said that she is excited to be one of the students who have reported to the institute for physical studies.

"We have been attending lectures online because we could not access the institute due to the pandemic. But I am excited and happy that I am going to interact physically with my teachers here," she told Xinhua.

The institute said there will be strict adherence to the COVID-19 prevention protocols as classes resume.