A plan to reopen schools in Swaziland (eSwatini) after
the coronavirus lockdown is in jeopardy as government and the teachers’ union cannot
agree on the best way forward.
The Swazi Ministry of Education and Training wants to
start a phased
reopening of schools starting 1 July 2020.
In a statement
Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini said, ‘The closure of schools effected on 17
March 2020 was an effort at national level to contain the rapid spread of the
virus. However, evidence shows that the prolonged closure of schools and
tertiary institutions will have significant negative socio-economic effects and
it cannot continue endlessly.
‘For the objectives of the 2020 academic year to be
achieved, we need to allow the current Form 5 learners to progress to tertiary
level. To do so they need to sit for their examinations and complete their end
of school cycle.
‘In preparation for the reopening of schools and
tertiary institutions, personnel will be trained on COVID-19 prevention and
control, and on ways of adapting to the “new normal” while ensuring that teaching
and learning continues. Government has developed a checklist for assessing
school’s readiness.’
However, the Swaziland National Association of
Teachers (SNAT) believes it has not been fully consulted about the move. Last
month SNAT
drew up a list of issues it wanted addressed before schools could safely
reopen. They included schools to be disinfected, all children tested for
coronavirus, a nurse on site at every school and the transportation of learners
to conform with social distance requirements. The marking of class work and
sharing of books should be also be discontinued, SNAT said.
The National
Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has also said it wants each child to have
four facemasks and 480,000 will be needed.
There is also a worry from headteachers that schools do
not have funds to carry out the work necessary to make schools safe from
the COVID-19. The government has not announced additional funding to pay for
this.
The Ministry of Education and Training and SNAT are
continuing discussions.
See also
Lawyers
want Swaziland PM arrested for breaking coronavirus lockdown regulation
Swaziland
Govt launches fund to help workers laid-off by coronavirus lockdown
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