ROSC surveys show that 70% of children and their parents fear a return to school in Mozambique

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ROSC surveys show that 70% of children and their parents fear a return to school in Mozambique

2:02 CAT | 23 Jun 2020

Photo: O País

About 70 percent of parents and guardians and their children fear returning to school because sufficient Covid-19 countermeasures are not yet in place, a survey by the Civil Society Forum for the Rights of the Child (ROSC) reveals.

Fear of the deadly disease has taken hold in families. Almost three months into the state of emergency, about 8,800 parents and guardians heard by the Civil Society Forum for the Rights of the Child said no to an immediate return to school.

“We found the main arguments were, firstly, that they are afraid that their children will be contaminated because they think they cannot take care of themselves, especially the youngest ones,” ROSC executive director Benilde Nhalevilo said today.

The online survey was carried out between the 5th and 12th of this month in an effort to understand the opinions of those responsible for education on the matter of Covid-19. Children were also asked, and their responses resemble those of the adults.

“The ‘No’ they give us is out of fear of being contaminated, fear of public transport, and of insecurity. One even gave the example of the school where there is no sanitation,” Nhalevilo noted.

A smaller group of parents and students voted for a speedy return to school because they find that classes via television, radio or internet are not being assimilated, but they too call for improved safety. “Those who say ‘yes’ do not say it for everyone, but only for children in the exam grades,” Nhalevilo said.

The civil society organisation bases its recommendations on the surveys “If we need to go back to school, we need to look at the issue of the right to health, the issue of the right to education and the issue of the right to protection,” the ROSC director says.

About 722 school-age children were interviewed for the survey, which also found that about 10 percent of adult are undecided as to whether or not to return to school immediately.

By Clemêncio Fijamo

Source: O País