Africa-Press – Lesotho. TEACHERS and parents want all schools closed following a surge in Covid-19 infections. The Lesotho Association of Teachers (LAT) and Boleng Ba Thuto Parents Association say it makes no sense to keep schools open when teachers and students are contracting the virus each week.
The LAT secretary-general, Letsatsi Ntsibolane, said the schools were closed arbitrarily in the past without the ministry consulting them when Covid-19 was posing a threat.
Now when the threat is real, the Ministry of Education had remained mum and was instead seeking to talk to the teachers. He alleged that the ministry was not doing much to ensure no one is infected in schools.
Ntsibolane said at that time “the infections were only rife in Leribe district compared to now as they are scattered all over the schools countrywide”.
“Most private schools are closing and it shows that the infection rate is going up,” Ntsibolane said.
“We suggest that the schools should be closed now for a week or two while speeding up the vaccinations for teachers as their lives are currently in danger,” he said.
“This should be so that when schools reopen teachers come to school without any fear.
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He added that it is becoming “harder and harder to monitor kids at schools as even the entire nation does not wear masks or even wash hands”.
“It has become a huge problem.
” He said they were trained and given some PPE by the Ministry of Education “but that does not stop infections from going up”.
He said he met the Principal Secretary on Tuesday where they expressed their concerns. “He said he was going to consult before a decision is taken,” Ntsibolane said.
Boleng Ba Thuto Parents Association said it is working together with the teachers in pushing for the temporary closure of schools until a strategy to deal with Covid-19 is brought forward. The association’s chairman, Mpho Mahula, said parents want classes to be conducted online.
“We are making that proposal because schools are buildings and buildings are not safe,” Mahula said, adding that all health professionals are recommending that everyone should work outdoors where possible.
“Schools are not safe because they are now Covid-19 hotspots,” he said.
“Some schools are even closing down due to the infections, it is dangerous for our kids.
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He added that they have realised that the “third wave” had hit schools more than anything else.
Basic Education Principal Secretary, Dr Lira Khama, told thepost that “no law allows parents’ associations to close schools”. “That is how they feel and they are entitled to their feelings,” Dr Khama said.
“It does not make sense to close schools because they will still not be safe at their homes,” he said.
On the issue of online learning, he said he does not have data yet he is a principal secretary, “what about the poor children in Semonkong, where will they get data and devices?”
He also said the ministry has agreed to devise ways to improve the children’s safety while at home and in schools because they can still get infected while at home.
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