Janet Kataha Museveni, Uganda's minister of education, announced on Tuesday that the country would cut the length of the school year by two weeks in an effort to decrease everyday contact between pupils and slow the spread of the Ebola virus.

Since the pandemic spread to Kampala, the country's capital and home to some two million people, authorities have been battling to contain the extremely contagious and lethal haemorrhagic fever.

According to the health ministry, the nation has 135 confirmed cases overall as of Monday, along with 53 fatalities.

Preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools would be closed on November 25 due to the significant risk of infection posed by overcrowded classrooms, according to the ministry.

In a statement signed by Museveni, he said “Closing schools earlier will reduce areas of concentration where children are in daily close contact with fellow children, teachers, and other staff who could potentially spread the virus.”

Currently, students in Uganda are completing their third and last term of the academic year, which is followed by their promotional exams.

According to Museveni, who is also the president's wife, there have been 23 confirmed cases in youngsters, eight of which have resulted in fatalities.