Re-opening schools for non-candidates still a big puzzle

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Eleven months after school closures due to the covid-19 pandemic, the full reopening of the institutions of learning remains a big puzzle with no one sure of when non-candidates might be able to return to school.

On March 18, 2020, President Museveni with guidance from the Ministry of Health, decided to close schools in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. This closure affected 73,200 schools and more than 15 million learners and 548,000 teachers.

However, while candidates were eventually able to return to school late last year, an estimated 13.8 million learners are still home and it looks they might not be able to go to school until the country gets some of the coveted COVID-19 vaccines.

In a statement released by the cabinet, the re-opening of schools will be based on the epidemiological nature of the disease. Epidemiologists that Uganda Radio Network spoke to intimated that while schools need to open, the issue of space remains a big hindrance.

Dr Monica Musenero, an epidemiologist who sits on the Education COVID committee says that the issue of whether schools can run while maintaining the two-metre rule is the deal-breaker.

“One of the main things we need to maintain is the two metre distance of learners at all time. But we are not sure schools will be able to meet this since even with just candidates, some schools have been struggling,” she said.

Schools like Kitante Primary School with big populations have had to rely on classrooms and teachers from lower classes to be able to continue running. With over 400 candidates and another estimated 700 at home, it a puzzling how such schools will be able to operate.

According to the cabinet memo, the Ministry of Education has been directed to update the Standard Operating Procedures to communicate the current 

epidemiological situation in collaboration with other stakeholders.

However, earlier interaction with several school inspectors indicated that while all other SOPs including wearing face masks, handwashing, and operating either as day or boarding would be met by almost any school, social distancing remained a challenge. The inspectors recommended that it should be reduced if schools are to reopen.

Filbert Baguma, the Uganda national teachers Union executive secretary , says that at this rate the government needs to think outside the box and develop several strategies for different situations and different schools.

“We all agree that the major problem is social distancing space; even before covid19, we have had the challenge with us,” says Baguma. “However, the challenge differs from one institution to another. Compared to the impact the closures are inflicting on our system, we need to develop different strategies. Schools which can have the two-metre distance should be reopened with those conditions and then we also look for best alternatives for those who might not.”

Baguma also says that as the government had earlier promised to have a phased reopening, there is a need to go for the second phase by allowing at least few more classes to reopen.

“When candidates were allowed back to classes, the government promised that more classes will be allowed as they monitor the situation, and the idea was good, but we have not implemented it,” he added saying if two or even one class on each level of education was added, it would better.

Dr Mary Goretti Nakabugo, the Executive Director of Uwezo Uganda, has also insisted that there is a need to reopen schools as soon as possible. She adds that the Covid-19 school closures will exacerbate an already-existing trend of low and declining learning outcomes.

According to UWEZO assessment reports, the percentage of Primary three to Primary seven children who could read and comprehend a basic story at the primary two levels dropped from 39 per cent in 2015 to 33 per cent in 2018. Similarly, the percentage of Primary three to Primary seven children who could do P2 division had dropped from 52 per cent to 45 per cent.

Dr Nakabugo says results of prolonged closure have far-reaching implications for education systems when schools reopen which relate to, but also transcend, the current crisis thus a need to think of both short and long-term interventions.

She also points out that in many other countries, research has proved that learners might be safer while at school than at home and the communities.

Although Uganda declined to officially declare a dead academic year in 2020, to many learners it is already a reality has many have not had any form of continued learning.

The government had designed some sort of COVID-19 education response plan to offer some form of continued learning. In the plan, the government proposed to distribute self-study home packages, recorded lessons, and live presentations on radio, televisions, and online uploads to be sent to learners through mobile phones.

However, this has to a large extent not been realised due to limited funding and the technology deficit in the country.

On Thursday afternoon the covid-19 education response committee reportedly had a meeting over the school closures. With the outcomes of the meeting still scanty, everybody is worried about how long the schools will take to be reopened.

A recent letter by the national council for higher education directing universities not to hold physical lectures for non-finalists for the next three months has also created worry with many thinking it might be the same period for other non-candidate classes in lower levels of education.

Three weeks ago, the Kenyan government which opted for a dead year approach right away in March last year reopened schools. However, media reports indicate that social distancing in many Kenyan schools is almost impossible but schools are ‘taking precautions’.

According to reports, schools are trying to spread students out, with three students sharing a desk that normally accommodates four students.

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