School resumption is kicking in gradually and parents are beginning to make that hard decision of letting their children go back to school.
It is over four months since students last attended physical classes in Nigeria, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But in coming days, schools will open their gates to students once again.
However, amidst this development, safety of the students is of optimum importance to parents and schools.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria, at least 860 deaths have been reported.
Nigeria has over 41,000 confirmed cases, out of which at least 18,200 have been discharged.
Which some kind of stability in the figures, coupled with the people’s attitude towards the pandemic, the Nigerian government has released a school resumption plan.
The directive is that exit classes for Nigerian secondary schools should resume on August 4, 2020.
No More Fun
Some students will feel a kind of relief, as the announcement had brought a feeling that an end is near to their stay at home.
But there is a lot involved in this resumption that they may not know.
Sadly, the fun in learning environment may no longer be there.
As school resumes, social distancing would be observed.
It will be a disturbing situation for the student, but this is one way to limit chances of an increase in the cases of COVID-19.
It is the first time that students would be made to study in such a tense and unfriendly situation.
As a result, it is important that parents internalise the guidelines that would help keep their ward safe.
School Resumption Guidelines
To help at this time, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released some school resumption guidelines for schools and parents.
It is important that parents or caregivers ask their child’s school some pertinent questions to be sure of how prepared the school is in line with the guideline for school resumption.
Questions Parents Should Ask School
Basically, the questions should centre on:
What arrangements have been made to quickly identify an ill teacher or student?
What arrangement has been made for regular hand washing by students, teachers and other staff?
Are there hand sanitisers or chlorine solution in the toilets, classrooms, halls, and near exits where possible?
Is there an arrangement for daily disinfection and cleaning of school surfaces?
What is the arrangement for proper waste management and cleaning of the environment?
What is the school stance on social distancing and how would it be observed?
Is nose mask or face shield compulsory or not?
Will school observe usual assembly ground procedure?
WHO’s Guidelines
These questions and more are in sync with the guideline of the WHO.
Here are some of them.
- Sick students, teachers and other staff should not come to school
- Schools should enforce regular hand washing with safe water and soap, alcohol rub/hand sanitizer or chlorine solution and, at a minimum, daily disinfection and cleaning of school surfaces
- The Schools should provide water, sanitation and waste management facilities and follow environmental cleaning and decontamination procedures
- Schools should promote social distancing (a term applied to certain actions that are taken to slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease, including limiting large groups of people coming together)
The world health body also recommends that the beginning and end of the school day should be staggered.
- Cancelling assemblies, sports games and other events that create crowded conditions
- When possible, create space for children’s desks to be at least one metre apart
- Teach and model creating space and avoiding unnecessary touching
Also, it emphasised the need for schools to ensure that soap and safe water are available at age-appropriate hand washing stations.
In this COVID-19 era, it will be a wrong decision for parents to leave the safety of their children solely in the hands of the school administration.
Parents and Caregiver’s Responsibilities
Interestingly, the school resumption has also put a burden on the shoulder of parents and this was also emphasised in WHO’s guideline.
You know that his hand washing thing is not our style and it is not easy for a child to just sustain this habit.
This requires that parents should at all times remind their child to wash his or her hands as often as possible.
It is recommended that the hand washing should be frequent and last at least 20 seconds.
Sadly, it is difficult to know if a child has contracted COVID-19 since the symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough or fever can be similar to those of the flu, or the common cold, which are a lot more common.
We are in a period of cold and flu could come.
However, for precaution, parents are to pay very close attention to their child to know if the child is sick.
Do not leave the responsibility to a nanny.
School Resumption Guideline For Parents
WHO recommends that “if your child is sick, keep them home from school and notify the school of your child’s absence and symptoms.
“Request reading and assignments so that students can continue learning while at home. Explain to your child what is happening in simple words and reassure them that they are safe.
“Monitor your child’s health and keep them home from school if they are ill.
Have you read: School Resumption: Tips For Your Child’s Health
“Teach and model good hygiene practices for your children.
“Wash your hands with soap and safe water frequently. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol.”
Some of the other things that parents should do to keep their child safe is to encourage them to cough and sneeze into their elbow and avoid touching their face, eyes, mouth and nose.
If your child is not the type that asks questions, it is time to encourage that that child to ask questions.
Remind them to always express their feelings with you and their teachers.
It is a period that could be stressful, including emotional stress and this could make a child ill.
Finally, WHO recommends that you coordinate with the school to receive information and ask how you can support
school safety efforts (though parent-teacher committees or association).
Keep your child safe as school resumption begins.