By Eunice Masunungure
IT is crucial that people understand that there are more positives surrounding Zimbabwean schools re-opening but we should not throw caution to the wind.
Of course, this is on the backdrop of the national vaccination programme.
Examination classes in Zimbabwe; Grade Seven, Form Four and Form Six, returned to school on March 15 2021 with the rest supposed to join them on March 22 2021, after resurgence of COVID-19 at the beginning of the year.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the health authorities cleared the schools re-opening soon after the number of those testing positive to COVID-19 declined, necessitating a relaxation of the lockdown Level Four.
Learners have not been to formal school since December last year.
Re-opening of schools has several advantages.
It benefits the vulnerable.
The year 2020 World Health Organisation (WHO) Checklist to support schools re-opening and preparation for COVID-19 resurgences or similar public health crises (Page 4) cites the following:
“During a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, prolonged school closures may result in a reversal of educational gains, limiting children’s educational and vocational opportunities as well as their social and emotional interactions and development. The longer a student stays out of school, the higher the risk of dropping out.”
Children living with disabilities in institutions, children living in poverty, children living in overcrowded housing, orphans or those separated from their parents, suffer most under lockdown.
A document published in 2020 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) cites nine ideas for present concrete actions that will advance future education in the pandemic era and these are summarised as follows:
“Commit to strengthen education as common good; expand the definition of the right to education so that it addresses the importance of connectivity and access to knowledge and information; value the teaching profession and teacher collaboration; promote student, youth and children’s participation and rights; protect the social spaces provided by schools; make free and open source technologies available to teachers and students; ensure scientific literacy within the curriculum; protect domestic and international financing of public education and advance global solidarity to end current levels of inequality.”
The first two ideas can be instanced as sound reasons for re-opening schools: “Commit to strengthen education as a common good’ and ‘expand the definition of the right to education so that it addresses the importance of connectivity and access to knowledge and information.”
Although COVID-19 is bound to be with us for long, the reopening of schools would be of great benefit to learners in rural areas who get severely affected by closure, thus, opening schools is promoting ‘what-is-good-for-you-is-good-for-me concept’.
Sending children to school helps with achieving equality.
On-line schooling conducted away from school is expensive.
James Salley, Africa University (AU) associate vice-chancellor for institutional advancement says the pandemic has made day-to-day activities at AU challenging.
“Our budget has been stretched beyond limits to put into place virtual learning and to keep on campus 300 students who could not go home because of the lockdown.”
George Miti, Dean of students and director of advancement and public affairs at Africa University said students and parents face challenges of converting their homes into a learning environment while the cost of data is a challenge.
The remote learning, through radio, television and online programmes, when schools closed down cannot be accessed by all.
An entire generation has seen its education interrupted but this is never in a uniform way because some places have advantages over others.
The AfDB and the AU are said to have released an African Education Fund of nearly US$300 million to stimulate investment in Africa’s human capital.
As early as February 2020, AU member-states met to device a continent-wide strategy including financial support and stimulus measures but help from outside excluded ‘others’ like Zimbabwe due to the sanctions regime.
The March 2021 back to school; second big return to school in Zimbabwe since the start of the pandemic, comes with questions about catching up on missed lessons and young people’s well-being but is still better than staying home.
These questions boarder on oxymoron-like feeling of excitement and nervousness regarding the back-to-school programme.
Blessed Simoyi (11) said: “I’m ready for school. It’s been quite a long time being at home doing online school. Online schooling is comfortable but boring because you are alone.”
Blessed is glad to get back to school. He thinks he missed a lot due to the extended holiday and wishes to catch up.
Matipa Rugare (15) said he is happy to return to school.
“It will be easier to learn at school compared to operating from home,” said Matipa.
Tariro Dube (17), who is not sure of her well-being outside home during the pandemic, says wearing a mask can be difficult: “Hopefully we wont get infected. It is tricky because you want to take it off (mask) to ventilate and talk.”
Some parents said the reopening of school was a good thing as most parents found ‘teaching’ a difficult job.
“Teachers do a great job. Teaching, especially the lower grades, is not an easy task,” said Mary Chaonza.
Schools are trying their best, converting libraries, dining halls, assembly grounds and shady spots under trees into temporary classrooms in a bid to achieve social distancing.
Social distancing, or physical distancing, is the practice of allowing enough space between individuals to reduce the spread of disease.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO recommend keeping at least six feet (two metres) of space between yourself and people outside your household.
Before entering the classroom, students need to line up to prevent congestion, as advised by Zimbabwe’s Ministries of Education and Health.
Schools re-opening in this COVID-19 era is a starting point for balancing the educational, social and emotional needs of students along with the health and safety of students and staff.