5th October, 2020 has been the scheduled date for the re-opening of schools. The nation is busy battling the Covid-19 threat that has caused lots of devastation in the world. We are not sure whether we have conquered the virus or whether the virus is somewhere hibernating, waiting for favourable conditions to establish. We believe by this time must of the schools or all of them should have been fumigated, dust and clean to ensure favourable learning environments.
With all the schools visited, none of them have been fumigated or treated against corona virus. Some were cleaned for the WASSCE and BECE respectively. Since then no other measures have been taken by government to ensure that the buildings are safe.
America, England Spain etc. are more particular about the resurgence of the virus. Measures have been put in place in these countries to finally eradicate the existence of the virus. In Sierra Leone we are updated with the Covid-19 figures and suspected cases. Face mask has been made compulsory with only few putting them on in public places. Government has received financial assistance to sustain the economy and to finance other development aspects from development partners to reduce the devastating effect of Covid-19.
Indeed Covid-19 is real! It is the concern of all to take all the necessary measures to prevent it spread and to help in the combat against the killer virus. If today we can open our schools without taken the necessary precautionary measures to prevent or to eradicate the virus, then why are we bordering the people to put on face mask as a matter of pleasing our paymasters? If Covid-19 is real, it is our responsibility to be alert, conscious to terminate it from our soil.
The school is a social setting, attracting pupils from different socio-cultural background. Therefore, social consciousness and well-tailored behaviour are the necessary ingredients in the maintenance of the institution. The school is a social agent, allowing socialization between teachers and pupils, pupils and pupils and socialization with the administration. In socialization, social consciousness and behavioural influence are conspicuously seen to dominate than any other aspect.
The school is not only to learn how to read and write but to incorporate other positive social behaviour to accompany the required behaviour at home. The school and the home almost share the same values of making the individual a cooperative member of the society. Therefore, the home could be a positive source of the virus or the school. The burden is more on the school, and the school needs to pay more attention on the health, growth and development of the learner. The school has to be very observant in the physical and social aspect of the pupils. It is the responsibility of the school to report any strange behaviour or looks of the pupil to the administration or the parents.
Now schools have been scheduled to re-open on the 5th October, 2020. The government is to ensure the schools environments are cleaned, fumigated, there is enough water, soap, face mask are all available to reassure the pupils, staff and the administration that government is serious to combat the Covid-19 and that the schools are safe for the learning and teaching experiences. It will be a slap on the face of government if any case of the virus is reported in any of our schools. Proper routine health checks to the teachers and pupils to certify a healthy and sound environment. If possible qualified nurses should take the responsibility in the schools and should provide government with update of the health situation in the schools. Government should respond swiftly to any health hazard reported to avoid its spread.
While looking at all these, it is good to examine the toilet facilities of the schools. Some schools have cleaned and well-kept toilet facilities while others are eyes sores. Schools should always try to maintain clean toilet facilities to avoid the spread of diseases. The toilet is a common place to get diseases if they are not properly maintained. They are part of the environment and they should be kept cleaned.
Most of the schools are without water facilities and they find it difficult to maintain hygiene. Government should assist them with water to maintain a cleaned and healthy environment. Learning is effective when the environment contributes positively towards the learning situation. We have seen the learning environment of most of the private schools. They have water to maintain the decencies of their toilet facilities. Not everything about the private school is perfect in terms of the environment, but majority of the facilities are there to make learning and teaching very effective.
We are on the Free Quality Education (FQE), and the FQE demands a healthy environment to make learning and teaching very effective. The quality aspect on our education needs to be upgraded in line with the Covid-19 fight. The free tuition is not the quality but the other ingredients that constitute quality must be followed. A quality education is not judged by its free tuition, but by the environment on which is to be attained. The environment includes the teachers and available facilities remain the constituents of a good quality education.
Now schools are about to be re-opened, Forum Newspaper believes government should utilize resources to make the school environment cleaned, provides safe and clean water to maintain hygiene in the fight against Covid-19. Covid-19 is real! Every effort or measures must be made available to prevent its spread. It will be heart rendering to close the schools again in light of the virus. Since we are all aware, the necessary precautions must be followed to ensure that the virus is defeated once and for all. When the school environment is maintained, we are gradually defeating the Covid-19.
Countries of high medical supervisions are suffering in the hands of the virus and are exploiting every measure to contain it. America and other countries believe that the virus has resurged and are putting more effort to contain it. Sierra Leone is donor driven. Donations are received from most of these affected countries and we need to work hand in gloves to tackle the killer virus to avoid the adversity in our crippling economy.
Again, Forum Newspaper is reminding the government to fumigate, provide water for healthy school environment and to ensure that schools maintain the measures against the Covid-19
