Mariko Kagoshima | Why Jamaica’s children need schools to reopen

All across Jamaica, parents, teachers and school administrators are grappling with difficult decisions about the reopening of schools – especially now as we face a surge in COVID-19 cases. The fear and anxiety are understandable, as we all manage the delicate balance of children’s best interests with overall public health considerations.

Evidence from around the world has shown that face-to-face schooling can be done safely, if done in keeping with guidance from the health authorities.

That is why UNICEF Jamaica supports and commends the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s ongoing, risk-based, phased approach to the reopening of schools in the manner which best suits the on-the-ground realities of each school.

We appreciate that it is not risk-free to reopen schools, but it is absolutely not risk-free either for schools to remain closed for face-to-face lessons, and for children to remain at home indefinitely.

For students, schools are not just a place to gain academic knowledge. They support social well-being, mental health, and dramatically help to reduce the risk of violence and teenage pregnancy. Schools also provide important nutrition, health and hygiene services.

UNDERMINING THE LEARNING

Global research shows that the longer children stay out of school, the less likely they are to return online or in person. These risks are particularly acute for the most vulnerable among our children, such as children with disabilities and those living in poverty. By extending school closures, and suspending face-to-face classes we are in danger of undermining the learning and potential of an entire generation of children.

These children are the ones who will pay the real long-term cost – many losing out on functional numeracy and literacy and access to 21st century skills, in addition to the protection and safety that schools offer.

According to data from the World Bank, each girl and boy in the current primary and high-school cohort in Latin America and the Caribbean could lose between US$242 and US$835 in yearly earnings, equivalent to over US$15,000 over the course of their working lives, due to school closures. This will have a significant impact on poverty levels in a region in which inequalities are already pronounced.

Overall, the region could see the loss of as much as US$1.2 trillion in income during the lifecycle of this cohort of students as a result of lost months of schooling, inferior learning achievements, and increased likelihood of dropping out of education altogether – all hallmarks of a potential generational catastrophe.

To help avoid these dire consequences, school closures should be one of the last resorts for COVID-19 mitigation. In Jamaica, as of February 5, only 240 schools have resumed face-to-face classes (of 400 that have been cleared for return), and some 30 per cent of the overall student cohort are not able to be reached regularly.

The multiple efforts for Jamaican students to learn online, on television, on radio and via the distribution of printed packets are commendable, but they are not an adequate substitute for face-to-face learning. They cannot replace the tremendous value of children learning together in a classroom, along with all the other benefits of being in a school environment.

We recognise that many parents are very concerned about their children contracting COVID-19 if they return physically to school. As recently as December 2020, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNICEF shared a global review of evidence surrounding in-school transmission of COVID-19.

While noting that new information continues to emerge regarding the effects of in-person schooling on the risk of COVID-19 infections, in-person schooling does not appear to be the main driver of infection spikes. The review of current evidence shows that children in school do not appear to be exposed to higher risks of infection compared to when they are not in school – once mitigation measures are in place. School staff also do not appear to be at a higher relative risk compared to the general population.

GUIDELINES ON SCHOOLS REOPENING

UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank and the World Food Programme issued new guidelines in December on reopening schools that are based on safe operations and a focus on well-being, protection and learning – including for the most marginalised.

Multiple measures – with varying cost implications – can be used to reduce physical contact and limit transmission. These include improving indoor ventilation, moving classes outdoors, building additional classrooms, staggering start and end times, alternating shifts/days, hiring additional teachers to reduce class size, blending distance and in-person learning, ensuring safe journeys to and from school, and isolating class groupings from one another.

We are pleased that the ministry has been advocating for all of these measures in support of the safe reopening of face-to-face schooling in Jamaica.

With sufficient capacity and resources, and supported by the upcoming vaccine roll-out, UNICEF is confident that Jamaican schools, like other schools around the world, can successfully implement context-appropriate health and hygiene protocols and continue resuming face-to-face classes safely. To help ensure their safety, it is critical for teachers to be among the priority frontliners to be vaccinated.

UNICEF stands ready to support all stakeholders to enable a safe return to school. Some of our efforts include the provision of handwashing stations with Food For The Poor and Scotiabank; re-equipping school leaders via a new virtual instructional leadership course offered by the National College for Educational Leadership, and a ‘Safe Journey to School’ road safety campaign, which includes COVID-19-prevention tips.

As the pandemic continues, and we continuously learn better ways to manage and mitigate its impact, we urge all Jamaicans to consider the value in the continued safe reopening of schools.

Mariko Kagoshima is the country representative for UNICEF Jamaica. She has over 20 years of experience with UNICEF, working in Guatemala, Honduras, Uganda, Angola, Afghanistan and Mexico. Email feedback to kingston@unicef.org.