Following the country’s first confirmed case, last week, The Ministry of Health on Saturday, March 14 issued a statement stipulating that schools, among other large gatherings, are temporarily suspended for an initial period of two weeks effective Sunday, March 15.

Students from secondary schools, private and public, higher learning institutions, on Sunday, started retuning home as guided by the Ministry of Education.

Even though the drastic move highlights the bold steps learning institutions across the country are taking to curb the spread of the COVID-19, it has also spurred mixed reactions from the public questioning whether schools, and other stakeholders, can cope.

According to Brother Crescent Karerangabo, the principal of Ecole Des Science Byimana, the break from school should not pose any threat to students.

Students, he says, should not use this as an excuse to lag. "We advised them to keep up with their lessons at home, we instructed them to go home with all the material needed. We are doing our best such that if we come back, we can find a way to go straight ahead to the exams.” 

Karerangabo adds, "They have all the means necessary to study from home. Therefore, there should be no excuse. For educators, the work is ongoing. The only change is the place of work.”

The impact

Martha Nassolo, a teacher at Little Bears Montessori School, Kigali, says the syllabus is going to be affected, noting that the content which was supposed to be done by the end of this term will stay intact.

The students, she says, will not be well accessed at home, compared to how it is at school.

Now that time for resuming schools is unpredictable, as teachers, she says, thinking of solutions to help students acquire what they were supposed to get at school is important.

One solution, Nassolo says, is to print out work for students so that they keep on updating themselves on what they have done, to avoid forgetting everything completely.

Jane Nakaayi, the head of the department of languages at Riviera High School, observes that most schools were not ready for the closing as the order came abruptly, citing that this is likely to have a negative impact on the education system.

She says this is so because many students were preparing for tests and end of term examinations.

Nakaayi says students who are yet to redo their national examinations in May and June might be affected as well.

Also, she says, since parents were not ready to have children back home in the first place, it will interfere with plans.

In cases where some parents still had fees arrears, Nakaayi says it will be challenging for them to clear the fees, thus inconveniencing school programmes and activities.

However, Rose Baguma, Director-General of Education and Planning in the Ministry of Education, says if the situation continues for a long time, education will be greatly affected because students will not be studying.

A call to parents

Baguma says first and foremost, parents should follow guidelines from the Ministry of Health concerning hygiene and prevention measures.

She says encouraging their children to wash their hands with clean water and soap often is fundamental.

Although students will not be in school, she says parents should ensure they keep their children indoors and do revision, rather than roaming around.

"Most of the students were supposed to do examinations; they need to get ready because it’s not a holiday but an evacuation plan as anytime now, they will be needed back in school,” she says.

Buguma goes on to add that those who can access the internet should use the opportunity to concentrate on school work.

Nakaayi says that private tutoring is an option, and recommends getting in touch with schools for the necessary material to keep children active.

Nakaayi says that tutors do not have to necessarily go to the learner’s home, but doing it online can also work.

Measures in place

Dr Irénée Ndayambaje, Director-General of Rwanda Education Board (REB), says following guidelines set by WHO through MINISANTE is important for every citizen.

"This is not an education pandemic only, it is a global pandemic particularly in education, if we collaborate with others, to fight the vice, even the normal education curriculum will progress smoothly,” he says.

However, he warns that students should not take advantage of the situation to go and rest instead; they should make good use of textbooks, notebooks and online materials to learn.

"Learners should keep reading, the same applies to teachers, they should take time to revise their curriculum. This is not the time to sit back and relax, what is needed is to use the period productively,” he says.

As parents, teachers and students maintain following precaution from health practitioners, they should keep on working from home.

He further emphasises that we all have to work together, to make sure not to encounter more cases as we wait for the way forward.

There is a need for collaboration during this time to ensure the whole process is successful, according to Ndayambaje.