Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The six-year-old girl who lives with her parents in Barnawa, Kaduna, Kaduna South Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Love Tobi Thomas, has appealed to Nigerian government especially Kaduna State Government to reopen schools fully so learning could continue.
To this young Nigerian, online learning has denied her the opportunity of learning from other classmates during physical class activities including paintings, sporting and even birthday celebration children of her age are known for.
Love, whose voice represents millions of school children across the globe believed that government could look inward and come up with a strategy that suits their age just like the older people have face masks, regular hand washing and social distancing to keep them up and running in their daily affairs.
“I want to go back to school. I miss my teachers and my friends. It’s my birthday and my friends are not around to celebrate with me because of Coronavirus.
“I also miss my class works. The government should reopen schools so we can go back to school and continue learning”, she appealed.
Love’s mother, Mary Tobi Thomas, described over six months of management of her children at home as ” different experience.
“It was a different experience. She is six years now and I thank God for her life. But, the truth is Being at home with children for 24 hours for more than six months back to back can be very hectic and I’m sure other parents can attest to this fact.
“We saw differences in their character. Staying at home for six months is not an easy task even when we try to coach them. It was not easy.
“Like she has been saying, the government should come up with a strategy to return children to school. I appreciate the online efforts but then, it can’t be the same with when they are in physical classroom*, she said.
To Love’s father, Tobi Thomas, education, qualitative education is key.
“We all know that education is key. The situation whereby children are home for this long is pathetic. Even with online teaching, it has not been the same as when they are in the classroom.
“She does not want her memory to go off. She wanted to celebrate her birthday with her school mates and all that. Don’t forget too that, when a child misses class just for a week, that child will need four weeks to catch up and now, we are talking about six months.
“To be candid, I think there are a lot of ways we can employ to reopen our schools especially now that the COVID-19 has dropped drastically. We can have a kit for children to just the way we have for older people.
“Figures like Bill Gate, who coincidentally celebrate his birthday with my daughter, is talking about managing health amidst COVID-19 and that include managing our schools.
“We want to see our children back to school. I will appeal to the government to do something very quickly. Managing children at home is demanding. But when they are in school, seeing their teachers and other children have a way of improving their learning.