Children’s Commissioner calls for schools to reopen

Children must be protected from the risks of COVID-19 but their educational, social and mental wellbeing must also be catered for, the Children’s Commissioner said.

Pauline Miceli has weighed in on the issue of whether schools should reopen, insisting children had a right to education that was not limited simply to teaching the syllabus.

“The closure of schools in mid-year taught us a few lessons. All children missed out on their education, some, especially children with some form of disability and those in abusive and toxic home environments, more than others. But everyone seems to agree that keeping children away from school and isolated may scar them more than the harm the virus could cause,” she said in a Facebook post on Monday.

The Children's Commissioner has emphasised the importance of classroom education for children

The educational and health authorities are currently engaged in talks on how schools should be organised to minimise the spread of the virus when they reopen on 28 September.

Miceli’s comments come days after one of the unions representing educators, the UPE, said students should not return to the classroom and lessons should be carried out online.

The Children’s Commissioner acknowledged the concerns parents, educators and students had but encouraged the authorities to ensure schools can reopen safely.

“While we don't want our children to be infected our authorities should find ways to organise schools in the best way possible to meet children's educational needs and their social and mental wellbeing while keeping them safe,” she said.