Collective Responsibility!

The skies are almost clearer in Cameroon as concerns how the 2019-2020 academic year is going to end. Perturbed since March 17, 2020 by the ravaging global coronavirus pandemic, the Head of State; going by the Prime Minister, has decided its resumption on a tentative date of June 1, 2020. This concerns exclusively pupils and students in examination classes in the two education subsystems and all involved in higher institutions of learning.
The Prime Minister’s declaration on Friday May 15, 2020 understandably lays to rest hitherto heated debate on whether or not the academic year would not be tainted. Everything being equal, those in examination classes would round off their syllabuses and adequately revise to face the respective examinations. Pupils and students who do not find themselves in this category are impatiently looking up to their school administrations to evaluate them based on their first and second terms results. At least the bulk of the academic work is logically carried out in the first two terms and assessing the learners on that basis is more than comprehensible.
As the various schools, pupils, students and parents brace up for the much-awaited June 1, all must understand that the government’s decision and clear communication two weeks ahead is a call for responsibility from all and sundry. For, keeping social distancing, wearing face masks, washing of hands and disinfecting the environment cannot be the sole responsibility of the government. All stakeholders must put hands on deck and fully play by the rules. 
For instance, government and the school administrations absolutely need to ensure that the premises are disinfected, that water and soap are placed in strategic places to ensure effective hand-washing and that social distancing is more in practice than speech. After all, the decision that only pupils and students in examination classes should go back to school on June 1 creates more than enough spaces in other classrooms which should be better harnessed for the safety of the learners and the teaching corps. Getting the entire teaching and administrative staff well abreast with the various ways of combating the spread of the pandemic should be an imperative before the tentative reopening date. Given that one cannot forget what he/she has never known, the concerned ministries in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and partner organisations should consider sharpening the skills of school officials on best practices vis-à-vis the dreaded pandemic. It should be an imperative. The earlier the better! 
Government has announced that schools will provide face masks to students and pupils who would not be able to afford them. As good as this may sound, parents need to sacrifice and get well adapted protective masks for their children. They should also be taught at home on their usage l...