WHO, UNICEF urge African countries to reopen schools safely

African governments should accelerate reopening of schools, World Health Organization has urged, saying that continent’s youths will suffer from prolonged closures due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Poor nutrition, stress, increased exposure to violence and exploitation and teen pregnancies are among problems faced by students remaining out of school in sub-Saharan Africa, WHO officials warned Thursday.

Only six African countries have fully opened schools, according to a survey of 39 countries by WHO and UNICEF.

Many governments closed schools as part of measures to limit transmission of coronavirus. Some reopened and n h to close again when virus cases broke out in schools. Kenya, for instance, has closed its primary and secondary schools for rest of 2020.

This has h hurt school feeding programs, which provided meals to more than 10 million children in Africa. Online learning is almost impossible as 80% of Africa’s students don’t have access to internet and electricity can be unreliable.

“We must t be blind-sided by our efforts to contain COVID-19 and end up with a lost generation. Just as countries are opening businesses safely, we can reopen schools,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.

“Schools have paved way to success for many Africans. y also provide a safe haven for many children in challenging circumstances to develop and thrive,” she said at a virtual press conference Thursday.

“ long-term impact of extending school shutdown risks even greater harm to children, ir future and ir communities,” said UNICEF regional director for Eastern and Sourn Africa, Mohamed M. Malick Fall.

Reopening schools has been particularly challenging in Africa, where millions of children attend crowded classrooms, and schools often lack running water and proper toilets. In sub-Saharan Africa, only a quarter of schools have basic hygiene services, according to a WHO and UNICEF report assessing progress on se facilities between 2009 and 2018.