Back to school 2020 : Pupils, students and administrators keep COVID-19 at bay
Schools have effectively resumed in Cameroon after 7 months of battling the deadly COVID-19, that is wrecking havoc across the globe.
On the first day of school, pupils, students, and school administrators have agreed to strictly respect preventive measures instituted by the government against the deadly disease.
At the entrance of most schools, are conspicuous water points for hand washing. Receptionists also have bottles of hand sanitizers on tables.
As the pupils, students, teachers and parents arrive, everyone is made to wash their hands with clean running water and soap, before accessing the school premises.
At Victory Educational Center Mimboman, a primary school located in the nation’s Capital Yaounde, parents who did not have face coverings were not allowed into the school premises.
School administrators acquired some facemasks for pupils who came without one. The masks were given out to pupils after temperature checks.
Mr. Ngwang Divine, Headmaster of the school says as a result of COVID-19, intake for this year has been reduced to comply with the government’s prescription of 40 pupils per class.
Pupils of Princesse Maya Bilingual School Mimboman, Yaounde have had to be reminded several times that they must respect COVID-19 preventive measures.
Mr. Kengni Sielenou Yannick says, “Teachers educate pupils every time they go to the restroom, and at the beginning and end of each lesson. Teachers and pupils in higher class must compulsorily wear nose masks. The government forbids kids of the lower classes from wearing masks”.
The first day of school resumption in some schools was dedicated to orientation. Students of Zang Mebenga Private Institute had special lessons on COVID-19 and why they must respect social distancing including wearing masks, on a daily basis.
The school which counts over 1000 students yearly, was disinfected over the weekend to prepare for school resumption on October 5.
Mr. Noah LEKA ALAIN, Principal of the school told CRTV-Web that the first day, was a day of grace. He says no defaulters will be tolerated from October 6, when classes are expected to effectively begin.
” We set aside this day to welcome the students and tell them about the COVID-19 preventive measures. We told them the disease is not over. It still kills. Tomorrow, classes will effectively start, and everyone who will come without a mask will not have access into the school. Sitting positions in class have also changed. We now have a maximum of 50 students per class as the government has stipulated”.
School officials say the respect for preventive measures on the first day of school has been impressive. But they hope the pupils, students and teachers will not relent fighting the deadly virus, as the school year unfolds.
Kathy Neba Sina