Democratic Republic Of Congo (DRC): Ebola Jeopardising Education For 100,000S Of Children

(MENAFN- APO Group)

School operations and pupil attendance are being affected by fear of the disease, major gaps in infection prevention and control, and a lack of hygiene facilities and psychosocial support in schools. Urgent investment in schools is needed so that children in affected areas can continue their learning in safe environments.

Across Ebola-affected areas 5,700 schools, attended by nearly 1.8 million children, remain beyond the reach of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. In provinces including Ituri, North Kivu, and Haut-Uéle – where virus transmission is continuing – almost 90 per cent of pupils have not received any support relating to hygiene or sanitation.

“Children should not be deprived of an education because families fear schools are not safe places to be. And parents should not have to choose between the safety of their children and the desire for them to gain an education and build brighter futures,” said Eric Batonon, NRC's country director in DR Congo.

“We urgently need greater investment in sanitation, hygiene, and infection prevention measures, so that children are able to wash their hands and maintain personal space in classrooms. And we must remember that many young people in eastern DR Congo have already lost years of education as a result of ongoing violence and displacement.”

Since the start of the new school year several schools in Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak, have reported unusually low attendance, with parents citing concerns around Ebola transmission and lack of infection prevention measures.

Fear of Ebola is also directly affecting children. Teachers from schools in Ituri have reported to NRC that some children become frightened and run away when they see humanitarian vehicles or staff, associating their presence with the Ebola response. To help to address this anxiety, NRC runs sessions and activities for children to support their management of stress via the Better Learning Programme (BLP).

NRC is scaling up its response to the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo. Speaking from Bunia, emergency team leader Silvia Beccacece said, "Fear and misinformation make the risk of Ebola even greater. For families who have lost loved ones, the pain and uncertainty can be overwhelming, and children are living through these losses too, losing parents, relatives and friends. Children under five make up a high proportion of those affected, so protecting their wellbeing must be at the heart of the response. They need safe spaces to understand what is happening and to have their concerns heard."

NRC is working with communities to make sure people have clear, accessible information about Ebola, how it spreads, how they can protect themselves, and what humanitarian teams are doing to support them.

"Health measures and psychosocial support must go hand in hand, so that children can return to school and continue learning despite the crisis. For many pupils, this comes after years of disruption. Sustained access to education is essential to help them keep a sense of stability and look ahead to the future," added Beccacece.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

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