I am a mother to two grade 12s. I would like to appeal on the recent announcement to open exam classes in June.
The Minister of Health announced yesterday that Zambia will experience a surge in COVID-19 cases and we have not even reached the peak yet. With this in mind , we would like to appeal to the President, to rescind this decision until further notice for the following reasons :
1. We are worried that in the surge that will continue to occur , opening schools now will only increase contamination; the movement of children and teachers will increase contamination;
2. Children in boarding schools will definitely be a challenge to handle as they have learners from all over Zambia and also have day scholars and commuting teachers , not to mention sharing the ablutions , desks and chairs , cutlery in the dining halls etc . Just imagine the level of contamination that will happen;
please let us not experiment on our children
3. In the case of one child or teacher being found COVID-19 positive , will the entire school shut down and all pupils and teachers quarantined ?
4. In my case, one son is in boarding in on the Copperbelt , if for instance , one pupil or teacher has COVID 19, will everyone in school be shipped off to the isolation Centre and me as a mother continue safe-keeping myself in Lusaka while my son and entire school are in quarantine in another province? As it is now , none of the parents I know are willing to allow their children to go back to school in June , which is even the coldest month of the year, meaning more respiratory illnesses ;
5. What would be wrong with examining pupils with what the syllabus has covered thus far. Education is not limited in itself. This can be done when they NEED to open after the peak of the corona virus in Zambia . At this point I do not even mind my children repeating a grade if it will save their lives.
6. The need to reopen is in itself a necessity but then the risk to health on learners and teachers far out weighs the need to reopen schools.
7. Will anyone penalise Zambia if our exam body set exams for content covered to date and allow for revision for the rest of the period? Further, the calendar can even be adjusted to have them write exams later;
8. The cost and impact of one case in a school can be terrible. The new normal can only be embraced if there were at least measures like in HIV: we have ARVS; Malaria : we have malaria medicine and TB: we have TB medicine . All these illnesses can be managed because they have medicines but please let us not experiment on our children .
We beg you to rescind this decision .
Thank you
Mr President, please listen to this plea. No reason to play to the gallery, if your advisors dont love their children, let them open their own schools. Unless their is some ulterior motive behind the reopening. Please reconsider your decision.
More covid 19 cases more financial donations. It is as simple as that.
Good luck advising thieves like Lazy Lungu and Chilufya who are fundraising for 2021…instead of buying PPE for health workers they are being exposed to deadly virus…meanwhile Chilufya’s overpriced ambulance was spotted in Kabwata moving furniture I mean do these vehicles have no GPS for one to have time to do that….these vehicles should be driven by Paramedics on duty and not a Driver.
Schools should not open. It will be very dangerouse to open schools in June. Think of may be August when it will start getting warm. Dr Chilufya said we have not reached the peak. So he knows the covid-19 peak is coming. So why put children at risk? Government consider Paying Retirees at PSPF.
Those who don’t love their children can send them to their death!
ECL thinks COVID is like Malaria.
The Zambian approach to the COVID 19 fight is the most confusing. Opening schools when the weather will be favourable for Covid spread is insane. I now understand why Baboons at Victoria Falls were not for the idea of the re-opening of Victoria Falls.
A wonderful commentary and plea on a vexing matter for most parents. I strongly urge fellow Zambians to to join this sister’s call. I live in New York City where we have been hit very badly. The disease is real, the deaths are real and frightening to see so many die like flies even though I am in a highly developed country with the best medical facilities and expertise. Don’t let this hit you because the pandemic will decimate the population. Please, no one should politicize this or pass jokes because it is a serious matter. It is in the best interest of every one to take precautions and the Government must take the lead. President Lungu, Sir, please listen and decree accordingly. God protect us all.
Schools should not open.
Truly let the decision be revoked by our leaders. We need our children they are the future leaders
In the US we have masses of protesters on the streets asking to call off the lock down. They understand that what is being protrayed by Trumps media is false. The billionaires of the world are upto something nasty. The sooner we get that, the sooner we can get back to our lives. Under a new normal
Let schools open children are bored and if nothing meaningful is being done in the fight against covid-19 why prolong something to further affect people. At the pace this govt is moving to fight covid-19 amidst its rampant corruption you may just as well tell them to close schools indefinitely because it will take a long long time for them to come through u their fight. Problems like covid-19 should not halt anything, clever people find different ways and means to get over the problem and not to be shut out by the problem. Wake up
The President is listening!!!
The top decision-making leadership of this land has listened and should be very considerate.
Only those parents/guardians, whose children go to schools where physical-distancing is practical, will not listen to this national cry ‘not to open schools for examination classes’.
An average classroom in an ordinary Zambian primary and secondary school has over 55 pupils. And sitting arrangements are pathetic, with or without COVID-19.
Let’s not send our future to the grave too early. Besides, COVID-19 will spread in our households like wild fire on a hot, windy day.
…Let’s not send our future generation to the grave early. Besides COVID-19 will spread in our households and communities like wild fire on a hot, dry and windy day!