COVID-19: Kids flock back to classrooms with facemasks as Ivory Coast re-opens schools

Thousands of school children have flocked back into classrooms to resume learning in Ivory Coast after a two months Coronavirus shutdown.

In Abidjan, the epidemic’s epicenter in the country, children in backpacks could be seen observing social distancing as they queued to wash their hands under a teacher’s supervision before entering the school. Pupils were made to sit down one to a desk with a bottle of hand sanitizing gel within reach.

“At first we were a little scared. When we saw that the protective measures were being respected, the fear went away,” 14-year-old Samira Cisse said.

Although the country is yet to contain the virus as it has recorded a total of 2,376 cases with new infections springing up each day, the Ivorian Ministry of Education told Reuters it appreciated the seriousness of its decision.

Read also: Ivory Coast records first COVID-19 death

“We also have an imperative duty to ensure that the children entrusted to us can complete their education,” Assoumou Kabran, the Ministry’s official said

The reopening also meant boarding school pupils and teachers outside Abidjan must be ferried back to school.

“We’re a bit worried as we leave, because we don’t know if we have the coronavirus or not or if the children are contaminated or not” Patrick Yobouet, French teacher waiting to board a bus out of Abidjan said.

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