The end of summer means the beginning of the new school year for millions of children in Nigeria.
As much as parents were excited about their children starting school, the issue of the pandemic still lingers in the hearts of parents and guardians. The outbreak of covid was a tough time for people in Nigeria and globally. Everyone was locked indoors. No school, work or social gatherings.
We look back and see how far we all have gone. It's the back-to-school season, and parents are more relaxed about students being in school, unlike in the year 202o when school resumed for students globally when there were still high cases of the pandemic.
On October 12th 2020, Nigeria reopened schools after six months of closure to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools opened because there was a decline in the number of daily infection cases in the country. COVID-19 lockdown measures reduced children's school attendance across all of Nigeria.
Since COVID-19 vaccines are not for school-age children under 18 years, it is appropriate that health protocols must be in place to protect children from COVID-19. That is why schools across Nigeria are following precautions for children in primary and secondary students.
There is still proper awareness of NCDC rules and regulations on good personal hygiene and how students in day and boarding schools will learn how to wash their hands very well and use their face masks.
So, what's new this year? What's different from last year and school years past?
That's the update Superprof brings to you.
Is The Resumption Of School Safe?
The answer is yes.
Students are safe resuming school. Though the virus lingers here and there, the decline in cases is worth returning to our routine. Unlike before, we can go shopping and be in social gatherings without wearing our masks.
Since the decline in the daily cases, the government has relaxed the rules to protect its citizen.
There's an old, not-so-funny joke about how just one case of head lice can infect an entire classroom. Head lice and the coronavirus are vastly different propositions. One is life-threatening, while the other will make you itch like badly.
The comparison analyzes that there will always be one form of contagious disease that students are prone to transfer to others. Teachers, staff, parents and children should be as careful and vigilant as possible. One student can spread diseases, like flu, or chickenpox, before the teacher and parents realize its spread.
Unlike the life-threatening coronavirus, it manifests only in symptoms - fever, chills, loss of taste and smell, or no symptoms. Some students may be asymptomatic and may not even know they are infected. The danger is that asymptomatic patients are carriers and can still transmit the disease.
It is why precaution measures have and will always be in place to protect students across primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Parents are encouraged to give kids pocket hand antiseptic, though most schools have them available. Classes are now well ventilated, and spacing among the kids is better.
You may wonder about students being indoors, all cramped together, breathing the same air.
Well, this isn't an issue anymore, as we discussed earlier. None of this gives us any reason to panic.
Today, parents, students and schools know so much more about this virus and how to reduce its impact on our social structures and lives. And should there be any infections, there are plans in place.
What About The Use of Mask In Schools?
We have to give accolades to the Nigerian government for its efforts to curb the spread.
One of the critical issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is how the Nigerian government put rules in place to protect the health and well-being of children and ensure safer schools.
When students resumed in October 2020, masks were compulsory. A student had to attend classes with their nose masks and, of course, with hand antiseptic.
Asides from wearing masks, other protocols were put in place by schools:
- social distancing
- self-isolation and distance learning
- contact tracing should a student test positive
- more spacing in classes
Currently, wearing masks is not mandatory in Nigeria. In April 2022, the government said its people should wear masks if they choose to. The government advised Nigerians not to relent in measures of face masks and to keep physical distance and wash hands.
Wearing a face mask in certain public situations can help protect those who have compromised immune systems or are high-risk. Many primary and secondary schools are not mandating their students on face masks. However, all due caution to avoid a spread is still in place.
As a result of the updated Covid-19 laws and regulations, this year, Nigerian students in secondary schools and colleges do not have to wear masks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF did not generally recommend children between ages six and 11 wear masks but be considered in areas with intense virus transmission or settings such as schools.
However, WHO suggested those younger children, should not wear masks, mainly because they cannot put them on and off correctly.
According to data from around the world, only around one to seven per cent of all COVID-19 cases are children and youths below age 18. So your children are more likely to be safe than you as parents. It means parents should take proper precautions to protect their kids.
COVID Tests And Vaccines in Schools
The world's been living with COVID for so long that some countries have decided against waiting it out; they're formulating policies on how to live with it.
Here, in Nigeria, precautions are still in place to protect everyone, including students in school.
According to the NCDC reports, from 10th to 12th September 2022, 167 new confirmed cases and one death were recorded in Nigeria. Though everywhere feels normal, we still have to be careful. Parents have to be careful, and schools have to be careful to protect their students.
A covid case with a student can affect other students and ultimately shut down the school. Parents in Nigeria are encouraged to make every use of the opportunity provided by the government to get their COVID-19 vaccine at no cost. By doing this, you are protecting your kids and other underaged family members.
For instance, in Poland, vaccines have been available since the start of the school year and are administered in the schools to all secondary school students who want one. However, primary school students are still not deemed eligible to get their shot, just as our primary school students in Nigeria.
Schools are encouraging parents to take their kids for covid testing from time to time to protect themselves and other students. For students not eligible to take the vaccines, regular covid testing is the solution.
Random lateral flow tests can be administered to students if conditions warrant it in some schools. Note that, should any student's lateral flow test return a positive result, they will have to self-isolate and take a PCR test before they return to school.
Some schools in Nigeria demand students do some tests, including covid testing, before resumption.
What To Expect If There's A School-Wide Outbreak?
One of the covid-19 pandemic unknowns is how the virus will continue to mutate and evolve. While we as humans are making adjustments, the virus is adjusting itself.
Still, parents need to stay positive: the government and schools have contingencies to address any situation that might arise.
Where schools are concerned, return to distance learning is the measure of last resort. Additionally, The use of face masks, social distancing, hand antiseptics and washing of hands will be strictly in place to prevent any further outbreak if any emerges.
The truth is that many schools in Nigeria are not as scared as the first time the news of the pandemic broke out.
Other measures, such as increased ventilation, will be applied where practicable. Ultimately, parents should not be too worried about an outbreak. However, if it happens, the schools are prepared and will take the necessary steps to avoid its further spread.
You can also read up:
Planning A Healthy School Lunch For Students
Back To School Essentials For A Secondary School Session In Nigeria
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