Pre-school proprietors challenge reasons fronted for continued closure

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Players within the Early Childhood Development-ECD sector are insisting on re-opening of Pre-Primary Schools challenging reasons fronted by government for the continued closure.

When government announced the phases of re-opening of education institutions, schools under the pre-primary category were advised to wait until further notice arguing that learners at this stage could not observe the prepared Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs.

Organized under their umbrella -Early Childhood Development Association Uganda, school proprietors and teachers argue that the (in)ability of preschool going children aged between zero to five years to observe SOPs is not significant in the transmission of COVID-19.

Led by Manuela Mulondo the association is building its arguments on different reports by the World Health Organisation-WHO which shows that children less than 10 years old were less susceptible and less infectious than older ones.

Mulondo adds that since children are less affected by the virus even in Uganda there is no reason why the government insists on closure of pre-schools

According to the quoted report published in October 2020, in countries where schools remained open, most infections or COVID-19 cases reported in children were acquired from home. The said infections occurred more in teenagers than young children and that staff to staff transmissions were common compared to staff to learner and learner to learner.

Immaculate Mayira, the association secretary, says it is at the disadvantage of children in local schools to stay home while their counterparts in International schools are studying normally.

Mayira who says that early childhood education is very important for the development of the child wondered how children in local schools shall compete with their counterparts in international schools or even those in other countries where schools already resumed.

Lucy Nanyanzi, the headmistress Kampala Kindergarten says that the education children gain in Pre-Primary is vital for their growth and development in social, physical, cognitive and moral domains.

She observes that absence of such education will cost the learners and the country at large given the fact that it is still unknown when the Pandemic shall end thus advising government to make proactive continuity plan for the ECD sub-sector.

The argument comes at a backdrop of a meeting between the group and the Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni and officials from the Ministry of Health which took place last Friday at State House Entebbe.

During the meeting, Ms Museveni said it is not the intention of government to make it difficult for children and pre-school proprietors but for the health and wellbeing of the children and the population.

The education Minister also reportedly said that all scientific information on the virus and its effect on children is best advised by the scientific advisory committee and no other outside agencies that do not have local information.

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