The COVID-19 pandemic is real and scary.
This is why we welcome with hope information that the government has disbursed a staggering M15 million for the procurement of PPE.
Chief Education Officer Primary Thuto Ntšekhe-Mokhehle has assured the nation – schools, parents and children that as schools open fully this week, they will be ready to protect each and every child against the invading coronavirus aka COVID-19.
We, however, remain weary that the government is only dishing out the PPE now as the schools are reopening.
That should have happened a long time ago.
The ministry of education should have supplied all schools with water tanks to enhance sanitation through the washing of hands - this is a necessity whose lack of should not be blamed on any principal of any school.
The health of our children and their teachers should not be debated on.
That is why the sentiments of the teachers’ unions are also important. The schools that opened in the past week should have all been PPE readied before they resumed classes.
The ministry should really put its house in order for the sake of everybody’s health.
We expect teachers to do their utmost to teach, and educate our children. Needless to say, these are stressing times but we would expect teachers to cover all they needed to cover in the various classes for the years 2020 and 2021 – all within this year.
If teachers find it difficult to do so, owing to lack of support from the government through the ministry, it would be calamitous for our children and the future.
We should all remember – these are the future of Basotho as a people.
All in school should put on their masks all the time. And recognizant of the fact that many children come from poor families, it is the responsibility of the government through the Ministry of Education to ensure that necessary equipment is procured and distributed to all schools.
