By Amin Kef Sesay
In a Joint Press Release dated 22 January, 2021 the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) in collaboration with the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Center (NaCOVERC) signed by David W.S Banya, Senior Permanent Secretary, MBSSE and Solomon Jamiru, National COVID-19 Spokesman it was stated that in close alliance with the Education Sector stakeholders including the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (CPSS), National Council of Head Teachers (NaCoHT), National Union of Private Schools (NUPS), Association of Private Schools, and Nursery School Association they wish to inform the general public, particularly pupils, teachers, heads of schools, parents, guardians, food vendors in schools, and visitors to schools that it will strengthen the enforcement of the proper wearing of face Masks by Pupils/Students, Teachers, Head Teachers, Principals, visitors, food vendors, and all other individuals who interact with the schools.
They highlighted that before schools reopened on September 15th, 2020 for Pre-Primary Schools, and on October 5th, 2020 for Primary, JSS and SSS, the MBSSE and Education sector stakeholders issued School Reopening Guidelines that outlined three broad objectives, namely: Prevention of COVID-19 transmission in schools, response and mitigation of any onward transmission of COVID-19 in schools.
Communication with parents and communicate on the status of testing and infection rates in schools.
It was stated that the School Reopen Guidelines emphasized the wearing of face masks as a requirement for pupils and teachers in Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary schools across the country.
They pointed out that such remains in line with COVID-19 prevention strategies by local and international health authorities maintaining that the proper wearing of face masks protects healthy persons or prevents onward transmission (WHO, 2020).
The Release stated that while all schools (private and public) nationwide have been supplied with COVID-19 prevention materials, including Veronica buckets, hand washing soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, infrared thermometers, and face masks; and while the Guidelines also emphasized social distancing and daily temperature checks of both pupils/students and teachers, the wearing of face masks, which protects everyone and limits the transmission of COVID-19 in schools, has not been enforced or adhered to as required.
In that regard, the MBSSE, education sector stakeholders, and NaCOVERC are therefore encouraging schools to adhere to the wearing of face masks.
They said schools will be rewarded for adhering to the wearing of face masks where all pupils/students, teachers, head teachers, visitors, food vendors and all other individuals who interact with the school properly wear them at all times while within the premises of the school.
It was disclosed that Joint-Monitoring of schools started on Monday, January 25th, 2021, and Monitors w include all mentioned Education Sector stakeholders and NaCOVERC.
According to them ,winners(s) will be announced every month and will receive special prizes for adhering to the wearing of Face Masks furthering that the prizes will be announced at a Joint-Press briefing by both MBSSE and NaCOVERC very soon.
