5 reasons schools should open…

1 Education, one of the main columns of society, needs to continue. For six months, children have been kept away from schools which, for their age, are their natural environment. They followed some lessons from home, but faced no exams, and were all promoted to the next level. But a return to school is necessary to give a semblance of normality. Human beings have the capability to adapt to changing circumstances, but society cannot afford to have children getting used to being without school, irrespective of the fact that they can still be taught remotely.

2 In-person teaching is always better. In today’s age, there are many families with both partners in employment. The closing down of the schools brought about inconveniences. Underage children, particularly those at kindergarten and primary school level, should not and cannot be left at home on their own. Many parents had to seek permission to work from home when schools were closed, just to be there with the children. Productivity must have been affected. This may have been accepted as a short-term sacrifice in many families, but three months – probably more, in cases where children were not sent to summer school – are more than enough. Let us also remember that when parents cannot stay with children, the first port of call is the grandma or grandpa – in most instances vulnerable people who need to be protected more than others.

3 Children do not just go to school to learn Maltese, English and maths. They go to learn how to behave in a community, how rules are to be followed and to absorb social skills. Today’s younger generations are already losing much of their physical socialising skills as they give greater importance to virtual socialising via their mobile phones and laptops. Staying away from schools will deprive them of this stage in their growth.

4 Protocols have been put in place by all schools, and guidelines on how students and staff should behave have been drawn up. We now know more about the virus than we did six months ago, and precautionary measures will help to limit the spread. If cases develop, there are rules to be followed.

5 Many children have found support from their parents but some are not so lucky. There are families who do not have the means to support their children, be it financial or educational. Prolonged absence from school creates a bigger divide between children who are supported and those who are not. Long breaks from in-person schooling are harmful; it is already seen after summer breaks, when children take long to settle down after the holidays. This year, they had double what they get normally.