World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, says the decisions to open schools or not on the continent amid the COVID-19 pandemic is a difficult one.
Moeti was speaking in an online COVID-19 media briefing on the re-opening of schools in Africa on Friday.
She says, “Children are our future and education is a pathway out of poverty towards prosperity and better health for the continent and the world. The decisions to open schools or not amid the pandemic is a difficult one, but we must find the right balance to avoid trading one adversity for another… School closures are exacerbating the risk of teen pregnancies and violence against children.”
Moeti says schools have paved the way to success for many Africans and they also provide a safe haven for many children in challenging circumstances to develop and thrive.
“We must not be blindsided by our efforts to contain COVID19 and end up with a lost generation.”
Below is the full briefing:
