Activists have questioned Government decision to suspend school opening in two cities over deadly cholera outbreak.
Authorities announced on Monday that schools opening in Blantyre and Lilongwe will be delayed for about two weeks due to the raising cases of Cholera while schools in other cities and districts will still open on 3rd December under cholera preventive measures.
Reacting to the statement, Healthy activist George Jobe disagrees with the decision saying government could have utilize the opportunity of learners gathering to deserminate information on how to prevent the spread of Cholere.
“I think schools should have been left open, we could have use the same learners to carry information to their parents and households on cholera. We should appreciate that learners are especially for commuting schools where they interact with their parents frequently, so this could have been an opportunity to talk about cholera preventive measures especially if that information is imparted at school could have been an intro point that’s where we might have missed the point” said Jobe
In his remarks social activist Lucky Mbewe concurred with Jobe in blaming the decision saying announcement has been made late and he believes the delay negatively effect learners in the two cities to catch up with their friends.
“Very unfortunate decision coming at a very awkward time considering that by now many parents have already sent their children to various schools in Blantyre and Lilongwe again the decision has not considered many other factors especially that if the cholera pandemic had affected all districts regardless of the magnitude of each and every district does not portray seriousness on the part of the ministry of education and the government in as far as the right to education is concerned as it will be difficult for the two cities to catch up with other cities and districts” said Mbewe
Since the cholera outbreak started in May 2022 it has claimed 594 lives while nineteen died on new year’s Eve alone.
