If the government announces the reopening of schools would you send your child back to school?
This is the question most parents are debating on as they weigh out the implications of sending their children back to school with Covid-19 still being a major problem in the country.
SCHOOLS CLOSED
All learning institutions were closed on March 15, 2020 by the government due to the Covid-19 pandemic and since then children have been staying at home.
According to the government, the decision was made to slow down the spread of coronavirus with schools posing as a fertile ground for the virus to spread.
Learning has been disrupted with parents having to look for alternative ways to make sure their children continue receiving education even at home.
Whether the government will reconsider reopening schools, especially to allow for candidates in primary and secondary schools to be able to sit for their final examinations, is still not yet clear.
But the experience of parents staying at home with their children seems to be bringing out rather unexpected results.
BACK TO SCHOOL
As parents now expressing scepticism on whether they will send their children back to school when they reopen or continue with home schooling.
Here is what a few parents in a closed Facebook group had to say about the prospect of sending their children back to school post Covid-19.
“My kids health has improved vastly during this break so no my 5 year old is not going back to school no matter what. She was already getting sick too frequently without this virus. Am not about to add that risk to her also. It’s only one year after all. Education will still be here in 2021.
“Africa has yet to see the worse of this virus and reopening schools is sure to get us there much faster. This is a new virus we are still learning a lot about. We don’t really know which way things will turn. If China closed their schools again who am I to be in a rush?
“Fact is our government is totally unable to maintain the standards required to curb the spread of this virus in schools so I would rather be safe than sorry. Its not as if our hospitals are properly equipped to handle patients either,” said one online user.
ONLINE VIEWS
“Mine will go back to school when they reopen. I don’t know why some parents say the ones who will send their kids back ‘wamechoka na watoto wao’. We are all at liberty to make decisions based on the information and knowledge we have. If you don’t feel comfortable sending your child back then that’s your personal decision that you are well within your rights to make,” wrote another online user.
“Class 8 and form four should resume and use several classes plus they can take precautions, college students too but from class 7 kurudi chini wakae nyumbani mpaka hii corona iishe kabisa, tutawapikia kabisa and keep healthy kids hatuna mbio, they have all their lives to study mpaka phd,” yet another one commented.
“Those who are tired of their kids can take them to school, even tomorrow if they like. Mine won’t until the curve flattens,” remarked another user.
“How will parents survive with so much uncertainty that abounds? Mtoto anarudi nyumbani na homa kali… fever etc and u can’t tell whether they picked covid or its the usual flu? The anxiety!!! When in boarding and u know not how they are faring?… its not an emergency… we can wait,” said one online user.
“No to both. This is the period that i did realize that these kids often fall sick when going to school. They pick up any ailments, they’ve been home and no doc visits. No risking with Covid on the rise,” opined another user.
“For kids in high school and college by all means should go back to school. The little ones I would think twice,” said one user.
“It is a better to lose a learning year than a child. So big No to both queries,” said another one.
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