Campaign urges gov’t to take ‘decisive, immediate decision’ to reopen schools, nurseries

AMMAN — The National Campaign for the Return to Schools issued a statement on Thursday calling on the government to take a “decisive and immediate decision” to reopen schools and nurseries.

The campaign also called on the MPs to pressure the government to ensure a safe and gradual return of students to schools, according to a statement provided to The Jordan Times by the campaign.

While the campaign welcomed Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh’s statements during his speech before the Lower House of Parliament regarding the government’s keenness to ensure the normal return of the educational process, it said that “the premier’s speech failed to provide a clear time frame for students’ physical return to school”.

“The premier’s speech was less than expected because it did not provide a clear time frame for the students’ return and instead linked the resumption of education with the improvement of the epidemiological situation,” the campaign said.

This indicates that “the government does not have a decisive decision” for the students’ return, the campaign added.

The campaign organisers had repeatedly called on the government to allow parents to choose between in-class education or distance learning method that has been applied since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also demanded that the online learning platforms be kept for students who do not want to return to schools but are serious about continuing their education online.

Campaign organisers warned of the economic repercussions of the pandemic on parents, pupils and business owners.

The campaign advocates stressed that there is a possibility to return to school safely under strict health protocol and physical distancing.

The campaigners also called for the reopening of kindergartens and the first four basic grades at the beginning of the second semester, as this group (less than 10 years) is less vulnerable to infection and transmission.

They also called for dividing students into groups and ensuring that they are not mixed with other groups.

Among other suggestions made by the campaign to secure a safe return to schools includes securing proper ventilation in classrooms and teachers’ rooms on a continuous basis.