It is too soon, and too risky, to reopen schools now

Aug 31, 2021 Letters

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Dear Editor,

The one thing written in stone is that school is reopening. To repeat my position, it is too soon, too risky, possessing too many unknowns. I am firmly against reopening for those reasons at this time. But, reopening it will be, and there is no turning back now, as I can gather from past and recent announcements from the Hon. Minister of Education. I say she is on the wrong track, going about this the wrong way. The wrong results, the worst of consequences (God forbid) could visit us.

Yet, the minister proceeds without pause, with backing from Cabinet comrades. It is that having taken the plunge from an early hour (months ago), it is full speed ahead. I could have lived with that, but there is no such speed evidenced in what the Minister of Education presented on Friday. There is walking on eggshells, when I examine the numbers and associated percentages of arm’s length, physical reopening combined with the still developing rotational. I looked quickly and converted the number of schools reopening for up close instruction into percentages.

In classroom schooling is scheduled to be 11% (Nursery), 9% (Primary), and the vague, best-to-suffice for the moment ‘several’ whatever that means (Secondary). I could appreciate slow and careful, a minimalist, approach. But, at those low mudflat, watermark levels, it might have been better not to reopen at all, other than for the senior Forms. That is, Forms 4 and 5 (CSEC) and Form 6 (CAPE) students. It might have been better not to subject the younger children, those closer to 12, and their parents to anxieties over vaccine safety, and exposures.

Since the minister and ministry decided that reopening is going to happen, and there will be steamrolling of all those who stand in objection, then both minister and ministry had to go the whole hog. I would. Meaning, be bold and decisive. Having gone so far with a worrying-and opposed-vision, then these lowball percentages speak to the uncertain and the no-confidence building. I detect the tentative and nervous, despite the usual ministerial bluster. For those reopening numbers, it is better to delay a bit, at least, for the rest of this year. This gives the time needed to finalise comprehensive and credible plans, articulate them persuasively, and work tirelessly publicly and behind the scenes to build consensus, admittedly a nonstarter in government circles.

But that is not the PPP way, and the Minister of Education is a noted performer (of a certain kind) in this regard. The preference is to ram reopening down the throats of Guyanese, and go from there. My own position could not be harsher; don’t play these reckless games with the lives of our young children. Don’t play politics with parents and students. If this is another powerplay by the PPP Government, and I interpret it to be so, then this one has already displayed evidence that heavy turbulence is ahead.

As an aside, our infected numbers keep rising, and the not-so-startling development is of a Guyanese passenger to Trinidad testing positive for the Delta variant. This is what is present here, and what the PPP Government is playing with, but at the expense of vulnerable citizens. Currently, I am beginning to ask myself whether the daily pandemic numbers released are not being doctored, meaning, that there is ‘staggering’ to minimise alarm. To manifest that things are not as bad with the virus in Guyana, as some may be making it out to be, and that the government has its hands firmly on the levers of control. With rare exception, I have given the Hon. Minister of Health and his team a lot of space to function, without comment, other than the mostly positive. I am hesitant to do so now. As a reminder to all Guyanese-partisans and their opposites, honest citizens-when the coalition was in power, I took issue with virus statistics being managed by political people, including the then minister. It was troubling then, troubling now. Better to let the Chief Medical Officer take the lead in this situation.

Returning to education and school reopening, the better way was for the minister to work with the union to find common working ground, but that was torpedoed early, with much finger pointing following. And where we are today convinces me that what the minister puts out for reopening is weak and woeful. The risks outweigh benefits. There is not enough of a nucleus to work with justifying back to the physical classroom, and this is making allowance for later incremental numerical improvements. Also, the supplies and guidance given for at home schooling amounts to ‘tek dah and try wid dah’, try fuh manage.’ Despite some ministerial reassurances of the consultation and partnership, I doubt that, since the foundation is simply not present. In-depth parent and ministry sharing just did not happen, as it should have, and this is the end of August.

Clearly, reopening is flimsy and foolish, with the blind leading the frightened. The Hon. Minister of Education represents both, despite her pretense at being in full command.

Yours truly,

GHK Lall

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