Context
Disruptions to instructional time in the classroom can have a severe impact on a child’s ability to learn. The longer marginalized children are out of school, the less likely they are to return. Children from the poorest households are already almost five times more likely to be out of primary school than those from the richest.
Being out of school also increases the risk of teenage pregnancy, sexual exploitation, child marriage, violence and other threats. Further, prolonged closures disrupt essential school-based services such as immunization, school feeding, and mental health and psychosocial support, and can cause stress and anxiety due to the loss of peer interaction and disrupted routines.
Critical Questions?
Pwani GBV Network and her members are guided by the following key critical questions when making recommendations to the Task Force on School Reopening In Kenya:
- Are there protection-related risks related to children not attending school, such as increased risk of domestic violence or sexual exploitation against girls and boys?
- Do school closures compromise other support services provided by schools, such as school health and nutrition activities?
- What are the community-related risk factors considering epidemiological factors, public health and healthcare capacities, population density and adherence to social distancing and good hygiene practices?
Priority Consideration If Gvernment must re-open schools
- Establish elaborate measures to guarantee children from contacting COVID 19
- Increase provision of mental health and psychosocial support services that address stigmatization/discrimination and support children and their families in coping with the continued uncertainties of the pandemic.
- Ensure awareness of other care services, including referral to services for GBV/PSEA and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
- Where services are not available at school, strengthen referral systems, including for SHR services that are youth-friendly and fully accessible
- Re-establish regular and safe delivery of essential services. This includes, but is not limited to, critical nutrition, WASH and health services such as school feeding, vaccination campaigns, protection referrals (MHPSS, gender-based violence, abuse, etc.) and specialized services for children with disabilities
- Public health information and communication should be available in multiple, accessible formats, including for those with auditory or visual impairments. Modifications should be made to ensure water, hygiene and sanitation services are accessible. Plan for continuity of assistive services if schools are reclosed
- Increase Resource allocation for implementation of Kenya National School Health Policy and Guidelines
Updates
May 20, 2020
The Pwani GBV Network continues to analyze the mounting risks associated with prolonged school closures. We are currently preparing a formal memorandum to communicate these findings directly to the Task Force. Your signatures provide the necessary evidence to demonstrate that this is a urgent concern for our community.
May 20, 2020
The level of engagement regarding the safety of our students is truly significant. This momentum reflects a shared commitment to protecting children from the risks associated with prolonged school closures.
23 Comments
Rural girls are likely to be used to cushion families income, which further exposes girls to sexual exploitation and gender-based violence. This places girls at especially high risk of health and reproductive crises, including forced female genital mutilation, as well as early marriage. This puts girls at high risk of dropping out when schools reopen after Covid-19.
School closures have had major implications for learners who rely on school feeding programs as a main source of nutrition. In rural areas, most school going children were dependent on the one meal offered by the school. With everyone now at home, families ability to provide food for their children has been further reduced. In such poverty, securing food takes precedence over learning.
If children must go back to school, vulnerable children should be the most considered.
We must think for our children please
Students might be at risk, let all the candidates resume back to school.
We can not afford to open schools at this time. With all the cases, that’s putting children at risk
I don't support the idea as the children might infect each other leading to more deaths
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Context
Disruptions to instructional time in the classroom can have a severe impact on a child’s ability to learn. The longer marginalized children are out of school, the less likely they are to return. Children from the poorest households are already almost five times more likely to be out of primary school than those from the richest.
Being out of school also increases the risk of teenage pregnancy, sexual exploitation, child marriage, violence and other threats. Further, prolonged closures disrupt essential school-based services such as immunization, school feeding, and mental health and psychosocial support, and can cause stress and anxiety due to the loss of peer interaction and disrupted routines.
Critical Questions?
Pwani GBV Network and her members are guided by the following key critical questions when making recommendations to the Task Force on School Reopening In Kenya:
- Are there protection-related risks related to children not attending school, such as increased risk of domestic violence or sexual exploitation against girls and boys?
- Do school closures compromise other support services provided by schools, such as school health and nutrition activities?
- What are the community-related risk factors considering epidemiological factors, public health and healthcare capacities, population density and adherence to social distancing and good hygiene practices?
Priority Consideration If Gvernment must re-open schools
- Establish elaborate measures to guarantee children from contacting COVID 19
- Increase provision of mental health and psychosocial support services that address stigmatization/discrimination and support children and their families in coping with the continued uncertainties of the pandemic.
- Ensure awareness of other care services, including referral to services for GBV/PSEA and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
- Where services are not available at school, strengthen referral systems, including for SHR services that are youth-friendly and fully accessible
- Re-establish regular and safe delivery of essential services. This includes, but is not limited to, critical nutrition, WASH and health services such as school feeding, vaccination campaigns, protection referrals (MHPSS, gender-based violence, abuse, etc.) and specialized services for children with disabilities
- Public health information and communication should be available in multiple, accessible formats, including for those with auditory or visual impairments. Modifications should be made to ensure water, hygiene and sanitation services are accessible. Plan for continuity of assistive services if schools are reclosed
- Increase Resource allocation for implementation of Kenya National School Health Policy and Guidelines
Updates
May 20, 2020
The Pwani GBV Network continues to analyze the mounting risks associated with prolonged school closures. We are currently preparing a formal memorandum to communicate these findings directly to the Task Force. Your signatures provide the necessary evidence to demonstrate that this is a urgent concern for our community.
May 20, 2020
The level of engagement regarding the safety of our students is truly significant. This momentum reflects a shared commitment to protecting children from the risks associated with prolonged school closures.
23 Comments
1. Will the Government establish sufficient instrastructure to enhance prevention of COVID 19 in public schools? 2. And if yes, can it sustain the same in case COVID 19 stays a little longer? 3. Can our public institutions afford social distancing, running water and soap for continuous handwashing? 4. Can the Government quarantee adequate awareness creation and information access to all public and private school? 5. Can the Government guarantee safety emergency transport for kids in boarding schools in case of relapse?
Rural girls are likely to be used to cushion families income, which further exposes girls to sexual exploitation and gender-based violence. This places girls at especially high risk of health and reproductive crises, including forced female genital mutilation, as well as early marriage. This puts girls at high risk of dropping out when schools reopen after Covid-19.
School closures have had major implications for learners who rely on school feeding programs as a main source of nutrition. In rural areas, most school going children were dependent on the one meal offered by the school. With everyone now at home, families ability to provide food for their children has been further reduced. In such poverty, securing food takes precedence over learning.
If children must go back to school, vulnerable children should be the most considered.
We must think for our children please
Students might be at risk, let all the candidates resume back to school.
We can not afford to open schools at this time. With all the cases, that’s putting children at risk
I don't support the idea as the children might infect each other leading to more deaths
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1. Will the Government establish sufficient instrastructure to enhance prevention of COVID 19 in public schools? 2. And if yes, can it sustain the same in case COVID 19 stays a little longer? 3. Can our public institutions afford social distancing, running water and soap for continuous handwashing? 4. Can the Government quarantee adequate awareness creation and information access to all public and private school? 5. Can the Government guarantee safety emergency transport for kids in boarding schools in case of relapse?