By Dr Takavafira Zhou| The government is adamant that in spite of acute increase of COVID-19 cases among school aged children, schools will continue to operate. Over 30 schools and over 600 pupils and teachers have been affected, and the government seem to have adopted a one size fits all approach in which it waits for COVID-19 to run riot in a school and then close the school. Many more infected and affected teachers and pupils have not yet been tested thereby closeting the effects of COVID-19 in schools.

There has been severe disruption of children’s education as infected children infect other children and adults. It is beyond doubt that pupils at school tend to have a wide transmission circle which can endanger parents and grand parents. While it is prudent to minimise disruption of children’s education, stricter guide guidelines are urgently needed for reducing opportunities for infection. Sadly, the Ministry of Education seem to have no plans whatsoever other than sending children home from affected schools, while other schools remain open.

The risks from casual contacts on school transport, breaks and lunch times have not been adequately recognised. Action is urgently needed, to make schools safe for teachers and learners and to reduce infection in Zimbabwe. Control of the virus requires an excellent test, track and trace system. There is also need to strengthen public health and local authority teams that ordinarily must involve teacher trade unions. Absence of testing kits and other PPEs, undue delays, difficulties in getting tested, and inadequate contact tracing have all impacted on infection control for teachers, pupils and families.

School heads and teachers have carried heavy responsibilities, whilst frequently being denied key information and resources, and constrained by incoherent advice from Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The present situation in many of the worst affected schools is characterised by confusion, secrecy, mistrust, fear, demoralisation, uncertainty and exhaustion. The Ministry has remained far detached from the pathetic situation in schools and resort more to homelitic bellicose than supply of resources to cater for covid 19 abatement equipment. There is danger that apathy will follow as school authorities feel they are unable to act intelligently and effectively without resources. The situation is surely not sustainable and need urgent gvt intervention which sadly is not forthcoming thereby leaving pupils at the vagaries of covid 19 in schools. The Ministry has again unilaterally called for a phased approach of opening schools next year. It has not engaged teachers in its plans, yet teachers have grievances pertaining to the prioritisation of their health and safety, let alone their welfare. The false assumption that wisdom comes from occupying a big office at head office must be deflated as knowledge is not a product of osmosis by virtue of occupying a big office. There are so many dangerous small heads occupying big office in the Ministry and the sooner they abandon the dangerous self pollination for cross pollination of ideas, the better.

In terms of minimising covid 19 risks and costs, and preparing students for, exams, it would have been better to allow candidates to write exams next year. Now that the exams have been extended to next year, boarding school pupils’ travelling back home and back to school may increase covid 19 chances of infection. This would also come with extra burden of travelling and school fees expenses from poor parents, which only a few can afford.

We reiterate our long held view that teachers and pupils must be tested before congregating in schools. Resources are needed in schools in order to enhance safe operations and health services. Gvt must provide adequate support and recognise the need for flexibility in schools rather than wait until the situation is worse to close the school. If gvt cannot do anything it is better to close schools and use course work marks to determine grades of students at grade 7, form 4 and Upper 6th. Life is more important than mere formality of writing examinations.

Venceremos

Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Ptuz President)