By: Foday N. Samura
The reopening of schools has meet with the enormous challenges of Inter-district lockdown which will continue to be a setback for those that before the lockdown has left to their various district as a reunion with their loves one as the COVID-19 subsides but now that the ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), has taken the boldest step to announce the resumption of schools for examination candidates on the 1st of July 2020. Notwithstanding, the fact that the pronouncement generated mixed feelings among people considering it as an inappropriate primacy
One can sense the overjoyed satisfaction on the behavior of parents, pupils and teachers with regards to the reopening of schools. It could be recalled that on the 31st of March 2020, government announced the closure of all government, government assisted, and private schools nationwide, as part of the many covid-19 measures in order to prevent, control and curtail the pandemic.
Having understanding the fact that the country is still recording its double digits of daily covid-19 cases, the ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), has taken the boldest step to announce the resumption of schools for examination candidates on the 1st of July 2020.
One can see magnitude and yard stick the ministry of health is using in making this pronouncement that generated mixed feelings among people considering it as an inappropriate primacy; there is also this mythological quandary which has preoccupied the minds of many Sierra Leones in connection to the proposed reopening of schools.
People are continually asking questions, how would pupils especially those who have travelled to other parts of the country, attend schools with the existence of the long out-lived and discharged Inter-District Travel Ban? It is a universal notion that immediately after the 31st of March when that public statement was made for the closure of schools, some pupils travelled to reunion with their loved ones in the provinces and some from the provinces to the city.
Now that schools are set to resume for examination candidates, the status quo of the Inter-District Travel Restriction could jeopardize the motive of getting school pupils into their respective classes since most of them have travelled to other parts of the country.
Finally, it will be logically concluded that the Inter-District Travel Ban will definitely going to serve as an impediment to many pupils who are now stranded in the provinces and in the city.
Therefore, I suggest to the government to have a rethink of lifting the Inter-District Travel Ban, or at least give a week grace period to those pupils so that they will travel to their various towns where they attend schools.
