Apart from the pain of private school teachers who have not been paid salaries for about four months since the COVID-19 pandemic became pronounced, there are many other things Nigeria stands to lose if schools are not reopened.
Considering the situation of the country, the effect of a prolonged school closure may not show immediately but keeping all students and pupils at home for long may destroy the educational system in the long run.
It has been years or a century since Nigeria had this situation with students at home, no teachers’ guidance, no teaching and learning, no child progress report, no extracurricular and cognitive activities.
These could spark societal vices such as crime rate and already, we are battling with rape cases.
Government authorities at the fore of the fight to flatten the COVID-19 transmission curve have deemed it safe to reopen markets, viewing centres, lift ban on inter-state movement, and airports but not schools.
However, schools are among the most important places where mindset, brains, morals and habits are developed, charged and polished.
The parents are more disturbed than the teachers.
This is because the teacher will always find an alternative to survive.
However, the child moulding quest is not an option.
If the traits of children are not well shaped today, there could be ripple effects on the entire society tomorrow.
Securing the future of the children should be made paramount.
Sent by Ayuba Aliyu, a private school teacher in Lugbe, Abuja, via [email protected]
