Sprightly, after a long epidemic situation it’s fine to watch educational institutions have been reopened in two different phases. Still to have welcomed our junior learners to persist their learning process in their own schools. The government of Pakistan has made an excellent verdict to reopen the educational institutions in different phases. This step taken by the Government is very appropriate. Truly it’s a very healthy sign but on the parallel grounds, the schools should be guided by a risk-based approach to sustain the learning, socialization, and health issues of children, educators, support staff, and the wider community and plan to prevent it. Different areas and issues are required to assess, plan, control, train, and monitor during this epidemic period.
It is strongly needed to reckon the overall impact of school closures on education, socialization, and health issues merely not only in the general population but specifically in vulnerable populations including girls and children with special needs. In contrast, closure of schools has clear negative impacts on child growth, health, education, family income, and the overall economy. The essential question is here what do the measures have been taken by the government, school administration, and management while keeping in their planning the safety and learning purposes.
Officials reported that many types of research in education settings preface of virus generally developed with carriers and staff to staff interaction was more common than staff to learner’s interaction, and learner to learner transmission was very rare. According to the advisory second wave of the COVID-19 initiated in most countries and just in Pakistan.
Furthermore, it’s important to be alert with children’s level of socialization, development, and learning outcomes currently and prior to #covid-19 especially the vulnerable group of the community due to remote learning strategies. This group of the population seems to suffer more because of their less involvement to become inclusive in normal circumstances but during this pandemic state, their socialization level would be at zero. After a long learning and socialization gap, they are back with a state of anger, panic, social-emotional trauma.
UNESCO has reported that around the world 1 billion girls would not come again for learning because some will get married or shall discontinue their learning process due to any other reason. Community is facing many disruptions in this pandemic period like; Abusive environment, Dysfunctional families, learning outcomes, Mental state of children with and without special needs, Girls education, Continuity, Un-employment, Low-cost private schools, Dropout rate, Social Economical status.
All these above-mentioned disruptions needed to be controlled through planning, training, resources, and intervention strategies. The shocking facts are that 20 million children are enrolled in these private schools. , it is feasible for them to swallow their financial burden to reopen their institutes normally. Children with special needs will carry on their learning process or not!
The transformational risks should be defeat by secure strategies and responsiveness sessions by the school administration, health authorities, and governmental media rooms. Specific recommendations are needed on school ventilation and air –conditioning use. Ensure adequate ventilation and increase airflow supply to occupied spaces if possible clean, natural ventilation should be provided inside and outside of school premises. Where it is promising without re-circulating the air they should be regularly inspected and cleaned. It’s vital that monitoring after reopening of the school include the effects of policies and measures on educational objectives and learning outcomes.
Existing facts suggests that students with core conditions such as chronic, respiratory illness, including asthma obesity, diabetes, or at risk of developing severe disease and death than learners without other health condition. School teaching, administrative, management, and support staff should be trained on infection control measures.
Three main key elements should be followed steadfastly as a part of the learning continuity while reopening of schools for all levels of learners; those are economics, infrastructure, and human resources.
To probe epidemiology of #Covid-19 at the local stage because from one area to another it may vary within a country. Make compliance with students to wear a mask inside and outsides of school premises. Regardless of a country’s capacity to grant suitable continued admission to learning crises and school closures all educational systems should inclusively careful for educational institutions to stay working. This expansion poses multiple challenges for educational stakeholders and sound inclusive planning is critical.
