Daily Times

Since Covid-19 was discovered and has spread across the world, a large amount of data has been collected on the morbidity, mortality and infection profile of the virus. As countries around the world – including several where daily death tolls exceed Pakistan’s – reopen schools, it is instructive to examine the evidence regarding the health implications of doing so. On the other hand, as the U.S. debates when to bring children back into classrooms, phased-in reopening have begun in numerous countries around the world. US President Donald Trump is also advocate to open schools country wide. Denmark eased its coronavirus lockdown in mid-April by reopening schools and day care centres, although concerns they might become breeding grounds for a second wave of cases convinced thousands of parents to keep their children at home. In Switzerland, children at Geneva s La Tour School had to adapt to new rituals, with parents dropping them off at a distance. Classrooms were half full to reduce crowding and desks spaced two metres apart. In the Netherlands, the Spring plank school in the city of Den Bosch installed plastic shields around students desks and disinfectant gel dispensers at the doorways. The Canadian province of Quebec reopened some of its schools, as some parents and teachers expressed uncertainty over the move’s safety. The Ecole St-Gerard, in a Montreal suburb, opened with staff wearing visors and using hand sanitizer. United Kingdom also announced to open the schools from 1st June. Schools in Australia s biggest states, reopened but onlyallowing students to attend few day a week on a staggered basis.Israel reopened some schools this month but the move was boycotted by several municipalities and many parents who cited poor government preparation.

Across France, primary school pupils sat at least a metre apart in small classes and listened to teachers in masks on their first day back after two months of home-schooling during the coronavirus lockdown. In Cyprus, health workers wearing personal protective equipment tested students for COVID-19 at a school in Nicosia after high schoolers were allowed to return beginning May 11. In Shanghai, students and staff alike were required to enter the school building via a thermal scanner when school reopened last week after three months of lockdown. Schools in many states of India and Bangladesh reopened by only allowing students to attend 3 days a week on a staggered basis. Kitted with masks and hand-cleaners, the first three grades of elementary school and the last two grades of high school were allowed back, redistributed in classes capped at 15 pupils to enforce social distancing.

In a country where even almost 75 million children now out of school, continued school closure will result in an educational and social disaster that will take generations to repair, so it is time to reopen education

Examinations are continuing to take place in many places of the world. In the United Kingdom, sixth-year medical school students have just taken their exams online for the first time. In the United States, will be administered online this year in free-response format, with resources provided to students and administrators online. In the United States, many U.S. universities are adjusting their admissions criteria to make such tests optional. In Germany, secondary school-leaving exams will take place under strict hygiene and distance regulations. Although Norway has cancelled all written exams for 10th grade students in junior high school and for students in all three years of high school. In Uttar Pradesh in India, students in grades 9,10, 11 and 12 will be promoted to the next grade by taking the exams. Czech Republic has introduced preparation for school-leaving examinations on TV. In Ireland, discussions are underway for the Leaving Certifications. Likewise in India, the government is working to revise the exam schedule as well as adjust the academic calendar. In China, the GaoKao university entrance examinations, which nearly 10 million students take per year, are rescheduled. In Colombia, state exams have also been rescheduled.

To be fair to all students, they should be standardized – factors such as the content and format of the examination papers and tasks, the administration conditions, access to resources and any supporting materials, and analysis of results should be the same or equivalent for all students. On the other hand, if exams move to an online format, how can fair access be ensured for all students? What provisions will guarantee that students in remote or rural areas, those with disabilities, and those with no or low-quality access to the internet or to computers or tablets will be able to take the exam?

However, they must not ignore the evidence that education is amongst the lowest-risk sectors. They must take heart from what the world is doing and what people across Pakistan are telling them. And above all they must demonstrate leadership for that will determine – in this once in a lifetime crisis – whether Pakistan sinks deeper into the abyss of ignorance and its attendant miseries, or emerges stronger.

In a country where even almost 75 million children now out of school, continued school closure will result in an educational and social disaster that will take generations to repair, so it is time to reopen education. The government must issue a standard operating procedure (SOPs) to open schools and take exams. Schools could run in phase wise and also in two shifts – one from 7am to 10am and second from 12pm to 2pm by maintaining social distance in classes. On the same pattern the government should hold board examinations by maintaining social distance. Under such circumstances the closure of schools would be an anti-education step and would result in permanent closure of 50 per cent of private schools and around one million people would lose their jobs. The government should also announce a relief package for private schools because 90pc of schools are working in rented buildings. Hopefully in coming weeks, as social distancing policies and responsive health systems make headway against the health emergency, students around the country can resume their studies and the exams.

The writer is The President of All Pakistan Private Schools Federation and his mail ID is president@pakistanprivateschools.com