Reopening schools is timely trial

The President’s promise to reopen schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic is a timely trial on the likely effect it might have on the opening of other critical sectors of the economy.

As the old adage goes ‘when you want to know what is in the forest, you throw a stone’ and this is exactly what government intends to do so as to inform future decisions on how to survive and prosper since the vaccine for the virus may not come very soon and yet life has to continue.

However, questions to ponder about rotate on social distancing measures among learners and teachers given that if it is not well addressed, it can lead to high infection rates and put the country’s achievements in containing the virus in shambles.

However, since the trial is with the candidate classes and institutional finalists, the above worries may be handled appropriately given ample spacing in class, labs, compound, dormitories and proper hand washing with soap and use of facemasks. Secondly, how will learners from border districts equally benefit – given that some have to trek from one border district to another to study? This raises important technical aspects as to whether such learners will equally compete with their counterparts in the final national examinations.

Thirdly, how will day scholars manage routine movement in the absence of affordable transport system given that the half passenger directive will lead to hiking of fares and yet even boda bodas are not allowed to ferry passengers. This is one area that stakeholders need to brainstorm on accordingly.

In addition, it is imperative that school fares be discussed extensively since learners are reporting for another term, factoring in the economic hardships arising from closure of businesses where parents used to earn from.

It should be brought to the attention of concerned government stakeholders that most private sectors have not been paying their employees and some have suspended and terminated employee contracts, which will greatly impact on how many parents will be able to send back their children to school bearing in mind the exorbitant fees charged by most schools both public and private.

Some of the issues raised above require government intervention to subsidise at least for the candidate classes in terms of supplying food and a few scholastic materials so that schools reduce what parents have to pay.

The Ministry of Education should put strict school requirements. In addition, to support parents who work for the private and third sectors of the economy, Parliament should expedite the process of amending the NSSF Act to allow access to savings during emergent situations as a mechanism of bailing out parents.

Chrisostom Oketch
[email protected]