Much to consider as schools prepare to return

Feelings on going back to school after a break are always a mixture of anxiety, excitement, apprehension and anticipation. This time, however, when schools reopen after their forced closure due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, these feelings will be more acute. This is because, when many of the region’s schools return to in-person teaching next month, there will be a new schooling environment, as administrators will have to take precautions against the spread of the virus, such as checking temperatures on entry, keeping safe distances, applying sanitation measures, and wearing face masks; with all the emotional and mental stress associated with these measures for students, parents and teachers alike. On top of all that, there is the added necessity of using technology.

When the alert on the pandemic was raised in the spring and instructions by governments were made for a lockdown, all education facilities, along with workplaces, businesses and public life, were shut down and moved online. More than 1.5 billion students in 165 countries have been affected by COVID-19 school closures, according to UNESCO. The move was sudden. Not everyone was prepared or had the infrastructure, the capacity or the knowledge to handle such a transition smoothly or effectively, hampering their chances of continuing with the education process at the same standard and quality as before the lockdown. It was an unprecedented experience of large-scale education disruption. The results of this worldwide experiment are anecdotally mixed, but little information or research is so far available on the impact it has had. However, the complexity is clear, as are the gaps in delivering content and support for teachers and families. It was also clear that closures disproportionately hurt vulnerable and disadvantaged students, who rely on schools for a range of social services, including health and nutrition.

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Education implemented online education in early March as part of the government’s efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Six million Saudi students in general education and about 1.5 million university students continued with their education for that semester through various technical platforms and programs. In mid-April, the ministry announced that it would advance all students, from kindergarten to high school, to the next grade and take the first semester’s results as the results for the second semester, so there were no final exams and all the students passed. Universities were asked to implement whatever decision they considered best in evaluating students for the semester.

The ministry recently announced that schools will resume on Aug. 30 with the implementation of social distancing, protection measures against infection, and temperature testing. There will be three possible scenarios depending on the health conditions in each region and community: Regular in-person attendance with all the precautionary measures; class sizes reduced to 50 percent and a mixture of in-person and distance learning; or full online learning. This patchwork strategy, while it seems reasonable and understandable under the circumstances, will probably create discrepancies and confusion.

There are many things to consider for in-person schooling, such as the ability of schools to implement distancing between the students, whether in classrooms, the cafeteria or the playground; enforcing discipline among students and staff in the wearing of face masks, regular washing of hands and avoiding touching anyone or anything; and the constant sanitation of communal areas. There is also the question of what to do when there is a confirmed case of COVID-19. Will the schools have isolation rooms, nurses and personal protection equipment? The school would be expected to ask all those who were in contact with the infected person to be quarantined, which means students, teachers, staff and parents. How will that affect the learning process?

Pediatricians, educators and scientists have voiced concerns about the harmful effects of continued school closures on children.

Maha Akeel

For distance learning, efforts have been made to upgrade the technical and human capacity, as well as programs and platforms. However, there are other factors that should be considered, such as the availability of a quality internet connection and equipment in homes, and the ability of parents to use technology in order to assist their children with their studies. Also, if both parents work outside the home, it would mean that one of them might have to quit their job or switch to working from home to be with the child during their lessons, especially if the child has special needs, which would have financial implications for the family and the career of the parent. Furthermore, with online education there is also the issue of protecting students’ personal information, child data privacy and the risk of cybercrimes and cyberbullying, as well as fake information.

For international and private schools, there is also the issue of fees. With the discontinuation of the cost of living allowance and the increase in VAT, as well as lockdown’s economic impact on businesses, the expected reduction in the income of parents and their higher expenses will affect their decisions regarding education for their children. This may result in education providers having to reconsider finances, headcounts, class sizes and the way education programs are delivered.

The good news is that, according to studies, young children appear to be at lower risk of contracting COVID-19 and are less likely to spread it, although children in middle and high schools may be at a relatively higher risk. Pediatricians, educators and scientists around the world have voiced concerns about the harmful educational, mental and developmental effects of continued school closures on children, especially for lower-income families and children that might be exposed to abuse and neglect. Most experts claim that attending school seems to outweigh the risks of infection, at least where community infection rates are low and there are measures to identify and isolate cases and close contacts.