The Corona virus (COVID 19) pandemic has affected us a lot but glory to God we are getting back on our feet as a nation and one of the evidence of this is school’s coming resumption. As schools resume, things will definitely not be the same, a lot of changes need to be made specially to prevent the virus in the school.
We all have a role to play but three distinctive people who have huge roles to play are; The Government, The Educators and The Parents.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT

• The Government should give the date of resumption.
• The Government should organize for proper enlightenment of both private and public school head and the entire public as a whole on the EXPOSING FACTORS, DANGERS AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES OF THE VIRUS.
• The Government should ensure that all schools adhere to these preventive rules of COVID 19 and lay down punishment for schools that do not.
• The Government should encourage the use of solar power and other alternative energy sources for electricity and borehole of water.
• The Government should make it compulsory for all schools to have isolation centers.
• The Government should organize seminars for school heads to enlighten them on how to manage and ensure social distancing among large numbers of students.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EDUCATOR

• The staff of each school should resume a week before the resumption date and should be given some training on teaching and interactions/protocols in Schools in a Post covid era.
• Educators should ensure that the knowledge of the virus ways if preventing it circulates round the school and these preventive measures are followed by both staff and students.
• The teachers pose a greater risk to the kids/ students and themselves, as it is known that children are relatively more resistant to covid. So we need to pay attention to our staff and their health status.
• Educators should make provision for hand washing, sanitizing equipment in all classes.
• Not all staff/ teachers need to resume. Only those who are directly concern with teaching the students because a lot of them can work from home
• Educators should ensure that returning students must be given some training too as to rules of interaction. We should not assume they know.
• Schools should also have spare masks available, in case some forget theirs at home. (they should pay for it rather than send them back home).

Educators are required to get the following ready for resumption;

• Infra thermometer
• Face mask
• Face shield
• Hand sanitizer
• Water bucket and soap
• Wash hand basin
• Charts on COVID 19
• Educators should make provision for an isolation center in each school.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARENTS

• Parents should instill in their children the knowledge of the virus and ways of preventing it no matter how small the children are.
• Parents should ensure that preventive measures are practiced in their home e.g. regular cleaning if surfaces with anti-viral solution.
• Live by example, if you say to your children ” ensure social distancing ” don’t go around hugging everyone you come across on an outing. Children learn more by what they see than what they hear.
• Teach them personal hygiene and make sure they practice it because the importance of personal hygiene cannot be overemphasized.
• Ensure that their children wash their school uniform, nose mask and other school clothing after each use.
• Parents should devise a safe means of transportation to school for their children and reduce the rate at which their children take public transport if it cannot be stopped.
• Lastly, Parents should prepare their children mentally for this stressful yet important resumption.

Thank you all

Facilitated by Mrs. Esan Folake, the CEO of ST. JOAVICS FOUNDATION