Since the COVID-19 pandemic started last year, schools and universities around the world have been temporarily closed. However, many countries have tried to open schools after the coronavirus rate fell down, but most of them could not remain open for a long time as the rate was upward again. Many university and college teachers in the United States, including Harvard University, were not interested in teaching directly.
Harvard University has asked students to refrain from coming to campus until further notice after the spring break last year. Students at Cambridge and the University of Massachusetts are told not to go on campus until the end of the summer semester of 2020. All educational institutions in China, including Wuhan, the birthplace of Corona, were closed for several months. Even almost all the US universities kept continuous online classes instead of on campus.
Why were the educational institutes around the world shut down during the pandemic?
More than 80 percent of the world's education is disrupted due to the closure of schools across the world due to COVID-19. The countries have decided to close all educational institutions so that students can avoid crowds at a safe distance from Corona. The educational institutions have been closed due to the rapid spread of coronavirus.
As we know that COVID spreads from one person to another, and educational institutions would have been the first place to spread the virus. That is why schools and universities were closed promptly to fight Corona and reduce the spread. However, it worked as planned and surely reduced the spread significantly.
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Who Should the Educational Institutions be Reopened?
According to the World Bank, about 700 million students around the world have been trying to study and attend online classes worldwide. However, everyone is not getting the opportunity to sit online at home due to different reasons. Hence, it is necessary to reopen the school and universities as soon as possible.
According to a recent statistic published on the World Bank's website, about 2.5 million around the world did not have access to school long before Corona's existence. So, it is not difficult to say that the number of school dropouts will increase in different countries in the corona period.
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Pros of Reopening the Educational Institution
- On-campus learning is always a good way to teach the students. However, the remote learning opportunities have been increasing, but the school-going kids will not get enough benefits from it. While at school, students can interact with teachers and other students; hence, they can learn many things outside of their textbooks.
- Reopening the school will help the socialization skills of the kids. The lack of human interaction will negatively impact the social growth of the children. In-person school environments help the students to develop and maintain friendships as well as learning and behaving themselves.
- Many schools in the world offer meals for the students. Hence, the deprived children can eat properly in school. So, it can be said that the students from low-income families are not getting enough nutrition as the schools are closed.
- For most of the university-going students, whoever has the research-based courses badly needed to attend the campus. Although they might be doing online classes, they are not getting the proper education online.
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Cons of Reopening the Educational Institution
Although the schooling is going, kids may not be affected by the coronavirus, but the families, school staff, and teachers might get affected. So, reponing the school amidst a pandemic will put all of these people at risk. Besides, kids might have a lower risk, but they are not free from any kind of risk.
Most likely, the students will not obey their social distancing. Therefore, they will be at a huge risk, and the infection rate might increase.
If the infection rate increases again, then schools and universities will have to be closed again. Therefore, this will hamper the students' minds and peace.
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Things to Consider if the Educational Institution is Reopened
Although the infection rate decreases and increases, Corona has not gone away yet. As a result, the educational institution needs a second thought if they want to open again. As a result, specific guidelines should be given to the schools and the teachers on what to do. However, if the institutions are reopened, they can follow some guidelines.
Apply the Proper Social Distancing Guidelines
Guidelines should be on the notice board of every school and university. No teacher or educator can enter the school without a mask. Moreover, masks should be compulsory for the students. Parents must inform the school authorities about the student's health condition.
It is also important to see that social distance is maintained. Absolutely the students can't sit side by side in class. As a result, schools must specify how to conduct classes according to social distance. At the time of entering the school, arrangements must be made to measure the temperature of the students. Each school authority will keep a student temperature record. No visitors or parents should enter the school. Hands must also be sanitized when entering school.
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Separate Isolation Rooms Should be Kept in the School
If the schools reopen during the Coronavirus situation, each school should maintain the isolation room. Through this way, any affected teacher or staff can isolate themselves if they feel any symptoms while at school.
Sports or Events Should be Closed in all Schools
Any type of events and sports should not take place in the institution. To prevent this, school inspectors can check out with the school authorities. However, it might be difficult to keep the kids away from the playground, but school authorities should ensure all kinds of distancing at any cost.
However, we should keep in mind the infection and risk of death. Hence, the educational institutions should remain closed until the coronavirus cases fall significantly.