With some students set to return to the classroom later this month for the first time in almost six months, some parents are concerned about their children’s safety and ability to cope with the measures that will be in place to protect them amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Others, however, are looking forward to seeing their charges back in school.
Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw last Saturday confirmed that the 2020-2021 school year will commence on September 21 and end on December 11. Students up to Infants B will attend classes half day, while from Class 1 up to secondary school students will have a mix of online learning and classroom time.
On the heels of the announcement, some parents told Barbados TODAY they were unsure how the younger ones would cope as it relates to wearing face masks, which Minister Bradshaw said will be a requirement, except in the case where a doctor certificate is provided.
Kelly Wilkinson, who has two children, aged five and seven, said she was concerned that younger children may have little regard for and understanding of the social distancing guidelines.
“They are just going to eat and run around and put their hands all over the place and stuff,” she said. “I have masks for [my children], I have to get the sanitizers now to pin on their bags. For the time they were home they were practicing sanitizing and hand washing and stuff like that. So, I guess when they get back to school everybody will be eager still because they will get to go and play up in the soap and the sanitizer.”
Wilkinson added that she was waiting to see how her children would readjust to the routine at school, after being away from the classroom since March.
Another parent, who gave his name only as Edward, said while he is not 100 per cent comfortable with his son returning to school with COVID-19 still around, he knows it is impossible to keep him at home forever.
“Children will always be children and will end up playing among one another, and there is a chance that they could catch something. But I think everything is going to be okay. I don’t think that it poses that much of a threat right now because they seem to have it under control,” he said.
“It is only people that coming in that bringing it and I ain’t hear nothing about any community spread, so I think that everything should go well.”
Zico Small, who was in town shopping with his six-year-old son Zaiden Small, believes social distancing is not possible for children who find it difficult to refrain from interacting with each other.
“No, you can’t social distance children. I personally don’t like the mask because it stops you from breathing well. It is not such a good idea, but you got to do what you got to do, I guess,” he said.
Meanwhile, young Zaiden said while he does not like wearing masks, he knows the Government is trying to protect citizens from the contagious COVID-19.
“I am quite ready to go back to school. I actually know a lot; I am a smart and intelligent child for my age,” he added.
Meantime, Angela Bonnet, who said she is the main provider for her grandson, told Barbados TODAY that if she had her way, he would not return to school until January 2021.
She added that while it is financially difficult for her to prepare the child to go back to school because she is currently unemployed, with assistance from others she would make sure he returns when the term starts in two weeks.
“If the Ministry say that he going back out to school, he got to go long. I will make sure he got on the mask, and make sure he looks tidy and give he something to eat and let him go long to school,” she said. (anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)
