Strictly enforce SOPs when schools reopen

OPINION
The Government is set to reopen schools in a phased manner beginning with the candidate classes in less than two weeks' time.

The decision to reopen the schools comes after the Government carried out a wide survey and developed a set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) aimed at keeping students safe at school.

It will be recalled that the Government closed schools in March, in order to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has since wreaked untold havoc on the global economy, due to measures adopted by different countries to contain the spread of the virus.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in a March publication noted that the cost of the slowdown for the global economy would be no less than $1 trillion.

However, in May the Asian Development Bank painted an even grimmer picture of a dent of between $5.8 trillion and $8.8 trillion on the global economy arising from the COVID-19 crisis.

No wonder, the economic pinch in countries like Uganda, has been felt across all sectors, without exception.

While it is hoped that the duration and the depth of the spread of the virus can be limited, any attempt to kick-start the pending sectors of Uganda's socioeconomic set-up must be well thought out to avoid creating new coronavirus hotspots.

Experts agree that the Government's decisive policy responses in the early days of the pandemic greatly helped to slow down the spread of the virus.

Subsequently, the gradual easing of the lockdown has also kept the disease in check.

The Government would also do well to look to countries that have reopened schools like Denmark, Israel and South Korea for best practices so as to avoid a spike in new infections.

According to a recent survey, over 50% of private schools in Uganda indicated that they were not ready to reopen.

While time is of the essence and we cannot afford to play second fiddle with education, as it impacts the future, utmost precaution must be taken to safeguard students.

The Government has done well to roll out the reopening of schools in phases. In any case, it is relatively easier to monitor the smaller numbers in candidate classes as the schools build capacity to handle more students.

The schools should, however, strictly adhere to the stipulated SOPs or be sanctioned.