COVID-19: Sierra Leone reopens schools after shutdown

SCHOOLS in Sierra Leone, yesterday, reopened after six months of coronavirus forced lockdown, as parents weigh safety of pupils. 

  Schools in the West African nation were in March closed after the first coronavirus case was detected, affecting nearly three million children.

Disclosing this, Education Minister, David Moinina Sengeh in a statement revealed that face masks and hand washing are to be compulsorily used in all schools across the country, as 2,269 coronavirus cases with 72 deaths have so far been officially registered.

“We are monitoring all schools for the adherence of the coronavirus regulations in schools”.

He added, “we have provided buckets and soap to all schools across the country, school authorities are expected to provide water for the hand washing facilities”.

According to Principal of Freetown Girls Secondary School, Florence Koymebeh, the normal school assembly has been suspended to reduce the gathering of school children and we encourage our pupils, if they feel sick to stay home or visit the nearest health centre.

Speaking to the media, a parent, identified as Jeneba Massaquoi said, “I came to the school to verify their coronavirus preparedness before I allow my kid to resume school tomorrow”.

 Expressing her feelings, a pupil who turned up for classes in Freetown, Aminata Kamara, told the media, “I’m happy to be back in school after a long break.

“During the closure of schools, we usually listened to a radio teaching programme by the Ministry of Education,” she added.

Report shows, Sierra Leone, which boasts of huge mineral and diamond deposits, remains one of the world’s poorest nations, but still recovering from decades of war and disease.