COVID-19: How Safe Is It for Children to Return to School?
Coronavirus has shaken the world in a way that has never been experienced in modern history. Every country has put measures in place that are intended to curb the spread of the pandemic such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, work from home, and closure of schools.
The paralysis of learning is a big concern for every state, which has resulted in the proposal of school reopening programs that are seen all over the world, with all children in the UK returning to school in September.
But the big question being raised by many is, post COVID-19, how safe is it for children to return to school?
Below are important insights for concerned parties, especially the parents and society at large.
Current Situation of Learning (before school holiday period)
· Online learning – As soon as schools started closing in March this year, both the schools’ management and the government started rolling out online learning programs to keep students engaged. If we can remember, it started with sending homework and assignments to students, and then detailed programs started. This enabled kids to stay busy while at home.
· Parent tutoring – To further make online learning smooth, parents started getting involved, especially in the cases of young students. This further made it possible for students to continue learning at home for their safety.
Of course, this situation was never going to be ideal even though most people supported the decision to close schools.
Many parents struggled to instil sufficient learning disciplines into their children’s everyday routines; many found teaching various subjects and lessons challenging; and, many others were still working, even if working from home, and just did not have sufficient time.
Older children were more able to embrace the different ways of learning, but a large percentage struggled with the isolation and lack of peer contact and support, with an ever-increasing number of young people struggling with mental health issues.
For younger children, although we may feel we should be continually re-assuring them, they also do need to develop coping strategies and mental resilience. These children’s books could help.
The consensus is that the education gap has widened, with teachers suggesting it will take at least three years to reduce the gap to pre-COVID levels.
Proposed School Reopening Strategies
· Social distancing mentions which, for many schools, has meant an increase in the number of classrooms.
Temporary classrooms have been used by schools for many years, but they are needed more today when schools have limited space to enable social distancing amongst students and teaching staff.
Whilst for many schools, time is of the essence, making the right decision when thinking of a temporary solution is clearly important for the longer term. Schools should consider using reputable experts. For example, Smart Space, which is one of the best temporary space providers in the UK, offer turnkey solutions including modular and custom-made classrooms, libraries, and other structural amenities for schools. Their lightweight bespoke buildings use environmentally friendly components and are energy efficient, plus schools can choose to either hire or purchase the buildings. You may find visiting their website quite reassuring and informative.
· Establishing ‘bubbles’ – as much as possible as part of the social distancing regimes. Pupils will remain in consistent groups (‘bubbles’) wherever possible. Bubbles will be kept as small as practical, such as just a class size or year groups, to minimise contact and make it easier for students in specific bubbles to self-isolate should the need occur.
· Blended learning – Many universities are embracing blended learning to minimise the amount of contact and minimise the risk of transmitting coronavirus through interactions, but in England, the intention is currently that all primary and secondary school children will be in school full-time.
· Hand washing amenities – As we all know, handwashing with soap is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19. All schools will be setting up enough handwashing facilities for kids to maintain good handwashing hygiene and social distance at the same time. Hand sanitiser stations will also be installed in multiple locations throughout schools.
· Enhanced cleaning – All schools have introduced enhanced cleaning protocols in line with guidance on cleaning for non-healthcare settings. This will include frequent cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as tabletops, door handles, handrails, toys, and play equipment. Toys and play equipment that cannot be easily wiped down will no longer be used.
· PPE will not be used under normal circumstances, but masks etc will be available should a child show signs of COVID-19 and a teacher or support staff need to be less than a metre away in order to deal with the situation. The child in question will be isolated immediately
Is It Safe for Children to Return to School?
Government and health officials in the UK and other parts of the world have kept assuring parents and other stakeholders that children will be safe when all the Government guidance for schools is implemented.
It is also a legal requirement that all schools revisit and update their COVID-19 risk assessments to ensure all precautions mentioned above are in place.
Additionally, schools have been asked to prepare arrangements for remote learning should a partial or full closure of a school be deemed necessary because of an outbreak, either in the school or in the immediate vicinity of the school.
Parents should not worry when releasing their kids to go back to school, but they should also remember that they too have the big responsibility of enlightening their children on how schools will be different and all the important precautions they should observe.
 
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