Continue to close schools
DEAR EDITOR,
Kaieteur News – I refer to the article entitled, “Schools to remain closed for April – Minister for Education” (KN April 5). There is comfort that the authority is vested in the Hon. The Minister of Education is exercised with the wisdom of restraint, through sensible discretion. I believe that this was the only step that could have been taken, all the circumstances properly weighed, and I commend the Minister for doing that.
This should be a comfort to most parents, although many would like their children to be out of the house and in a real physical classroom setting, with all the associated advantages and disadvantages, being understood and accepted. The children may have other ideas, as they stress the isolation imposed by a virus, which distances them from their friends and the freedom of a rapidly fading youth, especially the older ones. Social media fills some of the voids, but a poor place to squeeze the flesh, and the preconceptions — meteorological, mental, physical, emotional, instructive, and environmental — all part of a regular school day. We can all remember that one for school days is happy days, and before we knew it, we were talking in the past tense about ‘those are the days.’
Despite those considerations and pressures that build from parent and offspring, the times do not leave with much choice. There are: open schools and being open to all kinds of second guesses. Exposed to mirrors blown into swirls. Open to questions about holiness and smarts and possession of any particle of good sense. Those would be the albatrosses that the Education Minister would have hung around her neck. I would say okay so. No one would be interested, or have any patience, with any attempts to justify reopening because consultations with the COVID-19 Task Force and the Minister for Health and his professionals have led in that direction. I, and whoever is responsible, whether directly or indirectly involved in the decision – making process, will not hear its end from me in the most derogatory and derogatory terms. However, my first and primary salvoes would be in the direction of the Hon. Minister for Education.
Editor, I’m willing to admit that it might be unfair, but schools are automatically considered attached to the Minister of Education and not that of Health or elsewhere; not even that abstraction, which is the secret society of the majority Guyanese, the Cabinet. So, she has to draw a line, stand ground, and throw the gauntlet: crossing at risk. Stated differently, no reopening of schools, defense of her allegations. When the increase in numbers is considered – not an avalanche, but unabashedly enough – it is clear that the virus is currently dominant in this literal battle of life and death, and is gaining ground slowly, repentant. So, I say: let’s not tempt the Fate. Let’s not push the envelope with reckless, hasty reopening. The best euphemism for that would be too aggressive. The worst would be absolute stupidity or damning folly.
Correctly,
Lall GHK