“The long-term impact of school closures risks further harming children, their futures and their communities,” said a UNICEF official.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called on African governments on Thursday 20 August to help reopen schools that have been closed for almost six months by taking measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. “The unprecedented and prolonged closures of schools to protect students from Covid-19 are causing further harm,” the two UN agencies said in a joint statement.
WHO and UNICEF “urge African governments to support the safe reopening of schools while adopting measures to limit the spread of the virus. “Just as countries open businesses safely, we can reopen schools,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa. To limit the risks, WHO and UNICEF recommend regular handwashing, daily disinfection and cleaning of surfaces, water facilities and proper waste management.
Children exposed to violence
The consequences of prolonged interruption of classes are considered “significant” by both agencies, which cite “increased exposure to violence and exploitation” and “child pregnancies” as examples. “Schools have paved the way to success for many Africans” and are “a safe space where many children in difficult circumstances can develop and flourish,” according to Ms. Moeti, who is quoted in the document. “The long-term impact of prolonged school closures risks further harming children, their futures and their communities,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Mohamed M. Malick Fall.
According to a WHO survey of 39 out of 54 countries in Africa, schools are fully open in six countries, closed in 14, and partially open in 19. As of August 19, Africa had a total of 1.148 million cases of Covid-19, with 26,664 deaths, according to the African Union Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Source: Le Monde
