As Educational Institutions, We Are Again Blamed for Being Business Oriented

As educational institutions, we are again blamed for being business oriented and not closing down schools even when cases of COVID-19 and its variants are swiftly rising again. This makes a lot of sense as there can be nothing more important than one’s life/ health.

Admittedly, viruses naturally tend to spread from person to person. Hence, undeniably, crowds must be avoided. Also to note, the source of the virus is people’s (carriers’) mobility. The fact check says: People are moving out of/ into the valley and elsewhere freely. Parties, functions, assemblies and all other activities are running.

To control Virus spread, should we not take an integrative approach by dealing with its source and mobility? We’d better control people's mobility and border movement/ airport arrivals with quarantines and PCR tests as they apply. Meanwhile, we could have a strategy to increase vaccination and hotspot community tests rapidly side by side.

As a private school, I am personally happy to close the school immediately. We have good experience offering virtual education. It’s easier to manage as well. However, when parents and the general public are going to their offices/ businesses and social gatherings, I am failing to understand how closing schools contributes to stopping the spread... For economic mobility as well as social & mental health, many parents do require support from school - which is by sending students to school. Soft (human) skills, ECA, writing skills and in general students’ confidence can be nurtured incomparably well when face-to-face.

Also to note, as an educator, mine and my educational institute’s  staff’s health/ life and every educator’s family’s health is equally at the same risk as that of students/ parents.

I realize when it hits someone hard, it hits them really hard beyond regret. It could be me, you and anyone else for that matter. In between, life can’t come to a standstill; it must move on. In this context, this blame game can NOT take us anywhere. Let’s not forget: Health is not only about being physically sound, but also about mental and social well-being as well. Therefore, at a time when this risk is factual but mostly a probability perceptual game, only an integrated approach would address it effectively, I believe. As schools, we can do a better job of following and educating on safety protocols.