Reopening: Hygiene precautions big task for authorities, students

Not much has been heard from institutions of higher learning in that regard, but a lot of sound and echo is being heard from the lower level. There are pronouncements that students should report to school with things like lemons, something that beggars belief, as if steam-inhaling sessions are planned.

In the first place, this is not what the government really wants to see, as it is local government authorities which have been tasked with improving availability and access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The idea is to protect students from Covid-19 infections induced or fuelled by negligence when schools, colleges and universities reopen early next week.

A top official in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments) issued the respective directive after an inspection tour of some public and private secondary schools.

Going by the official’s remarks, the order was meant for the supervising authorities, as the tour was meant to assess how well they were prepared to control the spread of the virus after receiving Form VI students come Monday (June 1).

Creative school heads seem to be passing the ball, a ‘mobile’ portion of it like the supply of first-aid treatment against Covid-19, which thus includes lemons. Is this really a creative addition on the directive?

Predictably, there are fears among parents and guardians as to how school authorities and even the government will ensure improved hygiene to guard students against infections.

District executive directors have been detailed to conduct close supervision of preparedness in schools as they organise to reopen. This is vital in enabling students to observe basic hygiene protocols like frequent hand washing with soap and running water and using alcohol-based hand washing rubs.

One area where school heads have made laudable efforts is decongestion meant to come to what health experts call social distancing. Undeniably, many public primary and secondary schools have a high population density, which is dangerous in these Covid-19 days.

This element raises the possibility of long-term changes to the school system, as chances of the pandemic disappearing are limited indeed.

HIV and AIDS have been here since the early 1980s and there is no vaccine as yet – only routine antiretrovirals. Meanwhile, Covid-19 ‘cousins’ like the Serious Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and its Middle East variation (MERS) have been around since 2012 and 2014, respectively, and no vaccine or cure has been found.

For the moment, however, the issue is that school heads should not detach themselves from the burden of protecting teachers, students and other members of school communities against Covid-19.

That would lead to pervasive victimisation, with students possibly sent back home if they lack any of the crucial but arbitrarily chosen PPE.

It is more feasible for schools to have special funds for the purchase of such items, even if students are eventually required to help off-set the cost involved.

The particular issue hasn’t been raised to satisfaction with the relevant authorities at different levels for an answer or a solution. It would be dangerous – extremely dangerous – for anyone to act or behave as if the problem is inconsequential or non-existent.