School closures due to COVID 19 cast light on education inequality!

In a bid to contain the further spread of the virus, African governments have closed schools temporarily. While children from elite schools continue to learn, thanks to e-learning and the requisite equipment like laptops and access to the internet, the majority of African students are systematically excluded from enjoying such rights.

As a matter of fact, being out of school is riskier for them. Take, for instance, a case of the girl child! In some environments and countries, being in school is a safer space than being at home. In schools girls are protected from a number of human rights abuses; in the array of forced labour, human trafficking, female genital mutilation, early pregnancy, early and forced marriage...the list goes on ad infinitum! In the case of some smaller children, the feeding programme is their only source of nutritious food. Such children are motivated to go to school because of the food that helps to keep their souls and bodies together. With the closure of schools, it is a double tragedy for such souls.

It is thus incumbent on governments, development partners and people of goodwill to come up with measures that address such vulnerabilities! Let the spirit of ubuntu reign!