How Will School Life Look Amid A Pandemic?

By Sanika Shah

 

It is safe to say that 2020 has not been the year everyone expected. The new decade, felt for many, as the perfect way to refresh, but these hopes came crashing down on March 11th, 2020, when the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a pandemic and life has not been the same since.

 

The ordinary person may not ever think that this is where that world would be in the 21st century. We read and hear about plagues and pandemics, but it seems like something apart of a distant history (think about the Black Plague and Spanish Influenza) and because of how advanced the human race has become medically and scientifically, the thought of a disease destroying society the way it now seems fictional. Yet it is.

 

While hundreds of industries and businesses came to a halt, one that was somewhat overlooked but are still highly impacted are educational institutes. In Kenya, specifically, private schools had the means to move learning online for the summer term as well as the new autumn term that began this month. However, not all students have been this lucky. Most, and especially those studying in public schools, remain in limbo about their education because even though there is hope that schools will reopen in January 2021, there are no guarantees.

 

Of course, everyone is optimistic that schools will open soon, but what will school life look like during a pandemic?

 

It is going to be different and may even feel abnormal at first.

 

Schools must plan ahead and look at what additional measures they need to put in place to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty and staff. Therefore, the first thing that will change is free movement within school grounds. Restrictions will be put in place to allow social distancing to take place both inside and outside of the classroom. Instead of students moving from one room to another, the teachers may have to be the ones who move instead. This may also help create social bubbles that curb the infection rate.

 

The number of students within a classroom will also be limited wherever possible. For example, if a typical classroom size is 25 students, this may be reduced to 15 so that social distances measures can be adequately maintained.

 

I would also not be surprised if everyone will have to wear a face mask when within the school vicinity and regular temperature checks could become mandatory.

 

While extra-curricular activities and sports are essential to the student experience as they are a means to let off steam and have a good time, during the early weeks, such activities may not take place or will have to take place in small groups. Participating in sports will be especially difficult because this is an area where it is difficult to uphold social distancing and inter-school matches and guaranteed not to take place.

 

Although schools reopening should be consistent with each country’s overall COVID-19 health response, according to UNICEF, these are the following precautions that all institutes should take to prevent COVID-19 from spreading:

 

  • Staggering the start and close of the school day
  • Staggering mealtimes
  • Moving classes to temporary spaces or outdoors
  • Holding school in shifts, to reduce class size

 

Access to water and hygiene facilities will also be vital, and administrators will have to improve hygiene measures by educating on frequent handwashing and respiratory etiquette (i.e. coughing and sneezing into the elbow).

 

The cleaning procedures of all school facilities and safe food preparation practices will all have to be upgraded.

 

Going back to school may seem a little scary and unpredictable, but we cannot stay at home forever. Students need to continue their education both in academics but also through developing social and emotional skills. For many children and adolescents, schools also serve as safe spaces while their parents or guardians work, and for others, this is where they get healthy meals, access to the internet and other fundamental services.

 

So yes, school is going to different, and this new normal may last a few years, but we have to deal with it the best we can, so children get the educated they need, and desire, is a safe environment.

 

Follow @goplacesdigital and my personal blog, @trailingpages, for more lifestyle articles that can help improve your daily routine.

 

Sanika Shah

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