The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday urged African governments to consider safe reopening of schools, saying that the continent’s youths will suffer from prolonged closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reported All Africa.
The WHO officials warned that students remaining out of school in sub-Saharan Africa are facing various problems such as stress, poor nutrition, and increased exposure to violence and exploitation, teenage pregnancies and overall challenges in the mental development of children due to reduced interaction related to school closures.
Many governments closed schools in a bid to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Some reopened and then had to close again when virus cases were reported in the schools. Kenya, for instance, has closed its primary and secondary schools for the rest of 2020.
According to a survey conducted by WHO and UNICEF, only six out of 39 African countries have opened schools fully. The schools continue to remain closed in 14 countries and partially open (exam classes) in 19 others. Some African countries are planning to resume schools in September.
The closure had hurt school feeding programs, which provided meals to more than 10 million children in Africa. The concept of online learning is not applicable in Africa as 80% of students don’t have access to the internet.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said schools have paved the way to success for many Africans as well as they provide a safe haven for many children in challenging circumstances to develop and thrive.
“We must not be blind-sided by our efforts to contain COVID-19 and end up with a lost generation. Just as countries are opening businesses safely, we can reopen schools,” Dr. Moeti said.
The WHO official said the decision to reopen schools must be guided by a thorough risk analysis to ensure the safety of all and with key measures like physical distancing put in place.
