Postponing school risks exposing children to domestic violence, experts warn

AMMAN — Experts warned of increased domestic violence against children during the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed concerns about postponing the start of the next semester. 

In a study of UNICEF beneficiaries, 56 per cent of parents reported using psychological violence against their children during lockdown, while over a third of parents used physical violence.  

According to the Ministry of Education, postponing the start of the semester is necessary to preserve the safety of school personnel and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The Ministry intends to adhere to the scheduled second semester school days, with the missing days of the postponement reallocated to the months of June and July,” Ahmad Al Masafa, manager of Public Education in the Ministry, told The Jordan Times.”As a result, there will be no reduction in the overall number of educational days available to students during the second semester,” he explained.

The Ministry of Education understands the impact these decisions have on students, he said.

“The decision to delay school openings by rescheduling the missing days to June and July was motivated by the negative impact of the online learning system on children’s learning curves,” Masafa noted.

However, UNICEF Jordan points to increased violence against children at home during the pandemic — which exposed children to more risks in regards to violence, exploitation and abuse — and expresses their concern about school opening delays.

“The lockdown has seen an increase in reported cases of domestic violence through the national help lines by a third,” Tanya Chapuisat, representative of UNICEF Jordan, told The Jordan Times.

“Seventy-four per cent of caregivers engage in violence as a disciplinary measure,” she added. 

“UNICEF Jordan is assisting Jordan’s government in developing a national plan to reduce violence against children in all contexts,” she said.

In regard to the ministry’s announcement to delay the opening of schools, consequences for children and youth remain high. 

“Not only will children have a loss of learning, vulnerable children are most at risk of dropping out and are facing a shadow pandemic of child labour, early marriage and mental health services,” she concluded.

Hanan Al Daher, an assistant professor at Amman’s World Islamic Sciences and Education University, emphasised the detrimental social consequences of children remaining at home.

“It will have an impact on children’s ability to interact in social connections and their behavioural attitudes toward others,” she said.

Physical violence is the most common form of abuse against children. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of verbal and economic violence surged considerably, she said.

“The lack of emotional links between caregivers and children, the lack of social protection and effective parenting programmes and the collapse of family relations all contribute to increased violence towards children at home,” Daher noted. 

“Although it is difficult to estimate the amount of domestic violence against children because not all incidents are reported, it is nevertheless vital to raise awareness about this problem,” she said.