ZHRC red flags reopening of schools

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) yesterday raised a red flag over reopening of schools without adequate preparations and budget, urging government to postpone the process if it cannot guarantee the right to health and life to students and teachers.

In a statement yesterday, the ZHRC said they made an enquiry with students, parents, teachers and visited schools to assess if they were prepared to open schools during the COVID-19 lockdown and they found that there was serious lack of preparedness.

“This human rights dilemma is further compounded by the fact that government closed schools when the country only had four confirmed cases of the pandemic, but a decision is being made to reopen schools when cases have spiralled beyond 300,” ZHRC said.

“This brings to question, the issue of the best interests of the child as enshrined in Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 3 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and section 81(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

During interviews to gather views from schoolchildren on reopening of schools, the ZHRC said schoolchildren suggested that it should be put on hold, while a minority of them suggested schools should open as they were getting idle.

The ZHRC also raised concern over inconsistencies in information dissemination on opening of schools, saying “educators stated that they were not sure of the preparatory measures put in place ahead of reopening of schools, the timeframe and actual dates for reopening remain uncertain, the extent of the responsibilities of learning institutions versus the contribution of government in the preparation was also highlighted as being murky.”

They said at some schools, administrators said they had limited understanding of World Health Organisation guidelines on COVID-19; and the thermometers needed to test for temperature were costly at US$60 to US$80, which is beyond the reach of most people, while the sanitisers to be produced by schools were supposed to be tested for quality which was also costly. Boarding schools visited by the ZHRC said there was serious unpreparedness and limited space to practise social distancing due to congestion at hostels and dining halls which would expose learners.