By Joel Mandaza
Schools are the new Covid-19 hot spots in Zimbabwe.
Boarding schools account for the bulk of new infections which are being recorded, indicating what could be the beginning of the third wave.
To date, there has not been a consolidated collation of the number of infections, with opaque communication happening albeit intermittently.
Government is either sliding the issue in a small bracket on a sit-rep or it is communicated via Twitter in a very convoluted way.
Recently, Information Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana said 120 learners at St David’s Bonda High School in Manicaland had tested positive to Covid-19.
It was around the same time that Matabeleland South Provincial medical director Rudo Chikodzere was quoted in the media saying Embakwe High School had recorded 91 infections.
Other schools like Sacred Heart School, also recorded cases which trickled into the public domain through news reports.
Many schools have also had similar cases, but the details have been kept far from the public`s view.
In Mashonaland East, Mavhudzi High School recorded Covid-19 cases but unlike other schools it did not get prominence.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care is only communicating cases which would have found themselves into the media.
A perusal of situational reports of the past two weeks shows that there is no single mention of schools from Mashonaland East reporting Covid-19 cases.
Only schools from Manicaland and Matabeleland North were captured in the data.
This is despite the fact that the school`s administration sent an advisory to parents informing them of Covid-19 cases.
“Good evening parents, the Ministry of Health and Child Care tested 32 learners and 13 child care members. Six learners and two staff members tested positive.
Of those who tested positive, five are completely asymptomatic and three have very mild symptoms of flue. MOHCC has advised us to isolate the positive learners and staff members,” read part of the message sent by the Mavhudzi High head last week.
These figures were not recorded in the national tally, raising questions on how many more schools are being swept under the radar.
The spike in Covid-19 cases in schools was foretold by the Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga led Parliamentary Committee on Primary and Secondary Education.
“Our assessment as a committee when we visited some of the schools is that they were not safe because they lacked basics such as water.
Lack of water at some schools in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South should be addressed urgently before schools open,” Misihairabwi-Mushonga said in a report after touring a number of schools.
However, her advice fell on deaf ears as the government proceeded to open schools without fixing the prerequisites.
Now cases are rising in schools, with some going uncommunicated.
According to the Rural Water Information Management System (RWIMS) compiled by the government of Zimbabwe and Unicef, 53 percent of schools have no existing handwashing facilities and 21 percent of schools have no safe sanitation facilities.
In the middle of a pandemic like Covid-19 this can only spell disaster.
Beyond the cases, there is an issue of patient management which is emanating in schools that have recorded cases.
Some parents have failed to get their children for further attention back home.
In an interview, a guardian who has a child at St David`s Bonda -who requested not to be named for fear of reprisals on their child- said since they received news that their child tested positive for Covid-19 they have been living in anxiety.
“The school called all parents whose children were affected. We went there but we were told we could not see the child because they are quarantined.”
“We asked if we could take the child and they said we needed clearance from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, as well as the Primary of Health and Child Care. On top of that we were supposed to get an ambulance and have our home inspected for suitability before we could get the child,” said the parent.
The fact that they have not been able to see their child is making them restive, as there are reports that members of staff at the school are seriously ill contrary to official reports that all who tested positive have mild symptoms.
Government is aware that there has not been adherence to Covid-19 protocols.
Instead of dealing with the issue of sanitation, the authority came out threatening schools.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema in a statement came out threatening school heads with closure when cases started rising in schools.
In a recent statement Mathema said; “The Ministry is calling upon all heads of schools to guard against complacency and ensure full compliance with health protocols as directed through the Standard Operating Procedures.”
“All schools should strongly reinforce the following health promoting behaviours among learners and staff, consistent daily temperature checks.
Ensuring that the thermometers used for screening learners are in good working order at all times, with replacement batteries in stock, consistent and proper wearing of clean masks, consistent physical and social distancing,” he added.
Parliament heard that the government has set aside ZWL$100 million for boreholes at schools, it remains to be seen if the funds will be availed and put to good use.
Schools by their design, they accommodate people from various places and can potentially be hotbeds of Covid-19 infection, though mortality is low among patients of school going age.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa recently told the media during a post-cabinet briefing that the government is going to be intensifying testing in areas surrounding affected schools to prevent an outbreak.
To the discerning eye, those remarks appear like echoes of panic.
