As schools reopened yesterday for candidates in public examination classes – National Primary School Exam (NPSE), Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE) and West Africa Senior School Certificate Exam (WASSCE) – some school authorities and students have been complying with school operation guidelines published by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
During our visit on at the St. Edward’s Secondary School, a government assisted school, and the Prince of Wales Secondary School, a government school in Kingtom, and few other secondary schools in Freetown, we observed that students and teachers were putting on face masks and observing social distancing while in class.
I also observed that Veronica buckets for the washing of hands were placed at strategic locations within the school campuses and authorities ensured that students wash their hands before entering classrooms.
However, at the St. Edwards School, social distancing was not observed by students during lunch break, and students were seen buying food from sellers, which the school authorities attributed to lack of sensitization.
At the Prince of Wales, students were not allowed out of their classrooms during lunch break.
According to the operation guidelines for schools, there should be one lunch break for 20 minutes, and students must remain in their classroom during this period. Social distancing should be adhered to during this period and at all time.
MBSSE also said that no recess or cafeteria will be opened to students during the operation of schools, and admonished parents and guardians to provide lunch packs for their children to carry to school.
The Vice Principal for St. Edward’s Senior Secondary, Eustace Wachuku John, told this medium that in order to observe social distancing as instructed by MBSSE, the number of students in a classroom has been reduced from 55 to 30 students per classroom as required.
He said that there was huge turnout of pupils in schools which indicates that students were yearning to come to school after 12 weeks at home.
“The decision of government to reopen schools was timely but pupils need to be sensitized on how to live in the midst of the virus. The observation of precautionary measures would help in the eradication of the virus,” he said.
“We have isolation room in place should a student gets sick during school period. We are trying to put mechanism in place to ensure effective temperature check on students before entering their various classrooms,” he said.
Acting Principal for the Prince of Wales Senior Secondary School, Francis Gegbai, said that they are fully observing the guidelines instituted by MBSSE which has seen reduction in the number of students from 50 to 25 or 30 per classroom.
“Students are not allowed to go for lunch because we do not want them to get cluster which is against the guidelines,” he said.
The Senior Prefect of St Edward’s Secondary School, Anthony Belmore, said that his colleagues were delighted to return to school to prepare for West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“We are experiencing effective teaching since this morning. I hope it will continue. The time spent at home was a grace period for me to prepare for the exam. If I would have taken the exams in April, the result would have been fairly good, but with the extra time given to us I can do better,” he said.
He cited that he had been listening to the radio teaching programme during the stay at home period.
By George M.O. Williams