Somalia Education Cluster Note on COVID-19 Preparedness and Response

11th March 2020

Background:
In late 2019, an acute respiratory disease, known as COVID-19, emerged. The pathogen responsible for COVID-
19 is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a member of the coronavirus family.
There are two main routes of transmission of COVID-19; respiratory and contact. Respiratory droplets are
generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Any person who is in close contact with someone who
has respiratory symptoms (e.g., sneezing, coughing, etc.) is at risk of being exposed to potentially infective
respiratory droplets. Droplets may also land on surfaces where the virus could remain viable and thus the
immediate environment (WHO/UNICEF Tehcnical brief: Water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management
for COVID-19).
While there are not yet any known cases of COVID-19 in Somalia, it is important for the Education sector to
be prepared and contribute to minimizing and slowing down the spread of the virus should it enter the
country. General advice is to slow the spread as much as possible in order to not overburden health care
systems as have happened in countries with a rapid increase in cases.

One preparedness measure to minimize the spread of deceases, is to close schools as a means to limit points
of contact. As of 9th March, 29 countries have closed their schools (either at a national level or localized level)
(UNESCO). However, closing schools come with a number of implications which need to be planned for
including provision of continued learning opportunities for school children. It is a government decision
whether or not to close schools as well as determining the duration and coverage (national/localized). See
below section on adverse implications of school closure compiled by UNESCO.
In response to the escalating COVID-19 situation, below are suggested key activities for three phases of
preparedness and response for the Education sector:
Phase 1: schools remain open
• Enhance awareness and implementation of prevention measures (IEC materials and school guidelines)
• Enhance general hygiene promotion
• Ensure clean water and soap is available at schools and incorporate hand washing routines throughout
the day
 • Train teachers on detecting symptoms and ensure referral pathways to health clinics are established
• Enhanced PSS activities for school children (fear of decease/fear of the unknown/family members hit
by COVID-19 etc)
• Consider the need for community dialogues or other community engagement to address concerns
parents might have in sending their children to school
Phase 2: schools are closed
• Ensure wide dissemination of information about school closure and duration (if known)
• Provide distance learning opportunities (e.g. pre-recorded radio lessons, online education etc)
• If possible facilitate Small learning groups (5-10 students)
• Consider potential implications for exams should the school closure extend till May

Phase 3: Reopening of schools

• Ensure prevention measures are in place to avoid renewed transmission of virus (see phase 1)
Adverse consequences of school closures (UNESCO guidance):
School closures - even when temporary - carry high social and economic costs. The disruptions they cause
touch people across communities, but their impact is particularly severe for disadvantaged boys and girls
and their families. Some of the reasons why school closures are so harmful are listed below. While the list
is far from comprehensive, it helps clarify why school closures should matter to all of us:
• Interrupted learning: Schooling provides essential learning and when schools close, children and youth
are deprived opportunities for growth and development. The disadvantages are disproportionate for
under-privileged learners who tend to have fewer educational opportunities beyond school.
• Nutrition: Many children and youth rely on free or discounted meals provided at schools for food and
healthy nutrition. When schools close nutrition is comprised.
• Parents unprepared for distance and home schooling: When schools close parents are often asked to
facilitate the learning of children at home and can struggle to perform this task. This is especially true
for parents with limited education and resources.
• Unequal access to digital learning portals: Lack of access to technology or good internet connectivity is
an obstacle to continued learning, especially for students from disadvantaged families.
• Gaps in childcare: In the absence of alternative options, working parents often leave children alone
when schools close and this can lead to risky behaviors, including increased influence of peer pressure
and substance abuse.
• High economic costs: Working parents are more likely to miss work when schools close in order to take
care of their children, incurring wage loss in many instances and negatively impacting productivity.
• Unintended strain on health-care system: Women often represent a large share of health-care workers
and often cannot attend work because of childcare obligations that result from school closures. This
means that many medical professionals are not at the facilities where they are most needed during a
health crisis.
 • Increased pressure on schools and school systems that remain open: Localized school closures place
burdens on schools as parents and officials redirect children to schools that are open.
• Dropout rates tend to rise: It is a challenge to ensure children and youth return and stay in school when
schools reopen after closures. This is especially true of protracted closures.
• Social isolation: Schools are hubs of social activity and human interaction. When schools are closed,
many children and youth miss out of on social contact that is essential to learning and development

Resources:
Materials on disease outbreak response in Education sector:
INEE: https://inee.org/collections/coronavirus-covid-19
Global Education Cluster: https://educationcluster.app.box.com/s/760c172yoyc7505t6uhj8hy6sgejcz2x

Online learning tools/platforms (distance learning):

UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures/solutions

School guidance for COVID-19 prevention:

UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/reports/key-messages-actions-coronavirus-disease-prevention-control-
schools

WHO guidance and daily updates:

Daily SitReps: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports
Advice to the public: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-
happen

Ministry of Health, Government of Somalia:

National preparedness plan: attached
Key messages: attached