Children’s lives have not been the same since the outbreak of the Corona Virus. COVID19 pandemic has also affected our Learning. Many children have been left behind in their learning because they cannot access education.  Though we have to accept the new normal, we have to continue learning while social distancing and keeping safe. Though the steps taken by leaders are okay, they need to improve by investing in TV learning so that all children can access education. This will help children, for example, during my interactions with other children from across the region, we heard that’s some children are learning through telegram, which take long reaching the learners access education better.

Leaders must ensure that all children have access to education especially those in rural areas and those coming from vulnerable families. Governments must provide learning materials such as computers, books and apparatus for science subjects. African children would like to see mobile libraries moving in all areas with all the books needed.  Leaders should find a way of protecting learning in order to re-open schools with high consideration in coping with the new normal by providing them with personal protective equipment. Governments must also increase investment in education and ensure more schools are built so that all children are accommodated and there are adequate desks to ensure social distancing in schools. Due to school closures, more girls in many countries across our region, many not go back to school after becoming pregnant. Leaders should find ways of ensuring that children are safe and can go back to school to reduce high drop out of the girl child from school.

The COVID19 may be with us for a long time and we need to find ways of living with it like we have lived with HIV/AIDs and Malaria. Governments should therefore provide facemasks, sanitizers and access to water for all children. Access to water must be improved by sinking boreholes in all schools.

Opinion piece written by Priscovia Kasazhi – 17 years

Child Rights Campaigner in Zambia