COVID-19 materials not available in most schools

Politics

Following the recent press release issued by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) on the re-opening of schools on 1st July 2020 for candidates taking public exams at primary, junior and senior secondary levels across the country, concerned authorities in some of the schools have expressed disappointment with the ministry. According to the Communications Unit at the MBSSE, in collaboration with the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), plans were in place to ensure the safety and security of pupils in school with regards to providing COVID-19 prevention materials.

Unfortunately for the children, after being at home for almost three months, returning to school was like a nightmare, said Adama Conteh, a pupil of one of Freetown’s JSS. She told Awoko that expectations were high, but “the sight of classrooms and restrooms was unbearable. There is no running water to wash our hands or flush the toilets after use. The MBSSE had promised that school children will be provided with facemasks, which were absent, making compliance of preventive protocols non-applicable among us.”

She also frowned on government not allowing food to be sold at schools, a notice that was placed and enforced by government. With her and her single parent mom waking up early to make it to school and work respectively, she finds it difficult to make lunch for school as prescribed by government.

At a primary school in the eastern part of the city, Head Teacher Patricia Lungay and some parents expressed concern and disappointment with the unavailability of hygiene materials. Although they lauded the turnout at the school, they were however disappointed that ministry officials did not keep their promise to make available the necessary hand washing stations with soap, sanitizers and fumigation materials.

Ms Lungay noted that for the observance of social distancing in classrooms, the government did not specify the number of pupils to be in classrooms, adding that for safety purposes, “instead of the usual 40 pupils per class I placed 20 pupils in a classroom since the other classes are still at home”. “Also primary schools were told not to take their own lunch to school, as they will be provided with dry rations which parents will prepare for their daily lunch during school hours from 8:45am- 2:00pm.”

The Public Relations Officer at the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Jamie Sankoh explained that the commission was surprised with the many concerns from school authorities across Freetown. However, she said all genuine concerns had been noted by the TSC, adding that this week, TSC officials across the country will embark on a schools monitoring and supervision exercise and will send findings to the MBSSE for urgent action to make the school environment safe for children that will be taking public examinations.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Sheriff, Communications Specialist at the MBSSE, extended apologies to school authorities and the pupils for the late delivery of COVID-19 prevention materials, maintaining that proper planning for the distribution did not meet the deadline; and as a result, some schools received them on time while others had to be delayed, especially those in rural communities. He assured that all is being done to ensure materials are delivered, including thermometers for temperature checks and a health staff in case of an emergency.

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