This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
Lessons from Ebola: Preparing Kenya's Education Sector for a Post-Pandemic Future ¶
As Kenya prepares to reopen schools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the experience of West Africa during the Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016 offers valuable lessons for the education sector.
The Ebola outbreak resulted in the deaths of 11,310 people and infected 28,610 in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. The virus had a 40% mortality rate, compared to COVID-19's 3% in Kenya. Both viruses share similarities in their rapid transmission rates and the need for prevention measures such as hand-washing and social distancing.
During the Ebola outbreak, schools were closed as a public health security measure, and a review of the pandemic management provides lessons that can be applied to education sector planning in Kenya.
With schools closed, it was found that few children were studying at home, and the level of education was typically light, with mostly occasional reading of old notes or listening to radio programs.
The Emergency Radio Education Programme, which provided daily sessions based on primary and secondary school curricula in core academic subjects, faced several challenges, including a lack of access to radios and batteries, as well as the inability of children to gather in other homes due to restrictions on personal contact.
Similar challenges are likely to be faced in Kenya, where the radio has been mooted as a platform for virtual learning, but access is likely to be a key barrier. A recent survey found that only 49% of households with children accessed education content last month, and census data shows that ownership of a radio set is at 58.5% and 54.4% in rural and urban households, respectively.
Therefore, it is safe to conclude that radio education programs will keep children engaged but will not result in substantive coverage of the curriculum.
Gender inequalities were also brought about by the closure of schools due to Ebola in 2014. In Sierra Leone, only 15% of girls were reported to be participating in home study, compared to 40% of boys. Girls were occupied with domestic chores, caring for siblings, and in some instances, were required to work to contribute to the household budget.
Girls were also exposed to sexual abuse, and cases of teenage pregnancies surged, contributing to their dropping out of school. Like in West Africa, Kenya is currently facing an increase in teenage pregnancies as girls stay at home due to COVID-19.
World Bank reports indicate that about 25% of students in Liberia and 13% in Sierra Leone did not return to school post-Ebola, with those from poor households most affected. Many breadwinners lost their livelihoods against the backdrop of a bad economy, and the mandated quarantine period caused many households to lose income.
Parents of youth in higher education were unable to raise the required tuition fees, and even in free public schools, parents were unable to meet the cost of uniforms, school materials, meals, and transport.
Children who had started earning money to support their households during the pandemic period were discouraged from returning to school. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse effects on livelihoods in Kenya, and as schools reopen, there is a need to put in place incentives for children to return to school.
Like in Kenya, West Africa had to postpone national exams due to the Ebola outbreak, and the schools reopened to a 'condensed school year' with a focus on core subjects. However, the subsequent year saw the highest examination failure rates recorded due to the long out-of-school period.
As we prepare to reopen schools in Kenya, we must ponder over the risk of poor performance in national examinations and put in place mitigation measures. Perhaps the decision to have the 2020 academic year repeated is a silver lining.
Classrooms in West Africa were crowded, with some accommodating over 80 students, and the Ebola safety and health protocols required less than 50 students per class. The restrictions pushed school-age children and youth either to private schools or out of school.
The schools were also required to install hand-washing stations, thermometers, and cleaning materials such as chlorine and rubber gloves. Teachers and school staff had to be trained on health and safety measures.
Unfortunately, not all schools were able to put in place all the required protocols, and this delayed their re-opening. The ministries of Education and Health in Kenya are currently working on the safety protocols for schools re-opening.
In conclusion, the Ebola virus in West Africa resulted in some unintended effects that we can learn from as a country as we prepare to re-open schools in January 2021.
The writer is the CEO, TIFA Research.
