Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia.
<h4>Background</h4>School closures in response to the COVID-19 impacted children's education, protection, and wellbeing. After understanding these impacts and that children were not super spreaders, countries including Ethiopia decided to reopen schools with specified preconditions....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293722 |
| _version_ | 1797635247689433088 |
|---|---|
| author | Misganu Endriyas Belete Woldemariam Endashaw Shibru Mamush Hussen Bersabeh Bedru Mathewos Moges Mintesinot Melka Fiseha Lemango Male Mate Tesfaye Lejiso Biruk Gebremedhin Alemu Tolcha Biniam Shiferaw Girma Wondimu Tesfatsion Terefe Sinafikish Ayele Tebeje Misganaw Teka Samuel Temesgen Kelaye Agegnehu Gebru Amare Assefa Wogene Getachew Bereket Yalew Dereje Geleta |
| author_facet | Misganu Endriyas Belete Woldemariam Endashaw Shibru Mamush Hussen Bersabeh Bedru Mathewos Moges Mintesinot Melka Fiseha Lemango Male Mate Tesfaye Lejiso Biruk Gebremedhin Alemu Tolcha Biniam Shiferaw Girma Wondimu Tesfatsion Terefe Sinafikish Ayele Tebeje Misganaw Teka Samuel Temesgen Kelaye Agegnehu Gebru Amare Assefa Wogene Getachew Bereket Yalew Dereje Geleta |
| author_sort | Misganu Endriyas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>School closures in response to the COVID-19 impacted children's education, protection, and wellbeing. After understanding these impacts and that children were not super spreaders, countries including Ethiopia decided to reopen schools with specified preconditions. But when deciding to reopen schools, the benefits and risks across education, public health and socio-economic factors have to be evaluated. However, there was information gap on status of schools as per preconditions. Hence, this study was designed to investigate status of schools in Southern Ethiopia.<h4>Methods</h4>School based cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 in Southern Ethiopia. Sample of 430 schools were included. National school reopening guideline was used to develop checklist for assessment. Data was collected by public health experts at regional emergency operation center. Descriptive analysis was performed to summarize data.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 430 schools were included. More than two thirds, 298 (69.3%), of schools were from rural areas while 132 (30.7%) were from urban settings. The general infection prevention and water, sanitation and hygiene (IPC-WASH) status of schools were poor and COVID-19 specific preparations were inadequate to meet national preconditions to reopen schools during the pandemic. Total score from 24 items observed ranged from 3 to 22 points with mean score of 11.75 (SD±4.02). No school scored 100% and only 41 (9.5%) scored above 75% while 216 (50.2%%) scored below half point that is 12 items.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Both the basic and COVID-19 specific IPC-WASH status of schools were inadequate to implement national school reopening preconditions and general standards. Some of strategies planned to accommodate teaching process and preconditions maximized inequalities in education. Although COVID-19 impact lessened due to vaccination and other factors, it is rational to consider fulfilling water and basic sanitation facilities to schools to prevent communicable diseases of public health importance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:19:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a73fd0c482744eca211f482dbe251eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:19:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a73fd0c482744eca211f482dbe251eb2023-11-07T05:34:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-011810e029372210.1371/journal.pone.0293722Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia.Misganu EndriyasBelete WoldemariamEndashaw ShibruMamush HussenBersabeh BedruMathewos MogesMintesinot MelkaFiseha LemangoMale MateTesfaye LejisoBiruk GebremedhinAlemu TolchaBiniam ShiferawGirma WondimuTesfatsion TerefeSinafikish AyeleTebeje MisganawTeka SamuelTemesgen KelayeAgegnehu GebruAmare AssefaWogene GetachewBereket YalewDereje Geleta<h4>Background</h4>School closures in response to the COVID-19 impacted children's education, protection, and wellbeing. After understanding these impacts and that children were not super spreaders, countries including Ethiopia decided to reopen schools with specified preconditions. But when deciding to reopen schools, the benefits and risks across education, public health and socio-economic factors have to be evaluated. However, there was information gap on status of schools as per preconditions. Hence, this study was designed to investigate status of schools in Southern Ethiopia.<h4>Methods</h4>School based cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 in Southern Ethiopia. Sample of 430 schools were included. National school reopening guideline was used to develop checklist for assessment. Data was collected by public health experts at regional emergency operation center. Descriptive analysis was performed to summarize data.<h4>Results</h4>A total of 430 schools were included. More than two thirds, 298 (69.3%), of schools were from rural areas while 132 (30.7%) were from urban settings. The general infection prevention and water, sanitation and hygiene (IPC-WASH) status of schools were poor and COVID-19 specific preparations were inadequate to meet national preconditions to reopen schools during the pandemic. Total score from 24 items observed ranged from 3 to 22 points with mean score of 11.75 (SD±4.02). No school scored 100% and only 41 (9.5%) scored above 75% while 216 (50.2%%) scored below half point that is 12 items.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Both the basic and COVID-19 specific IPC-WASH status of schools were inadequate to implement national school reopening preconditions and general standards. Some of strategies planned to accommodate teaching process and preconditions maximized inequalities in education. Although COVID-19 impact lessened due to vaccination and other factors, it is rational to consider fulfilling water and basic sanitation facilities to schools to prevent communicable diseases of public health importance.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293722 |
| spellingShingle | Misganu Endriyas Belete Woldemariam Endashaw Shibru Mamush Hussen Bersabeh Bedru Mathewos Moges Mintesinot Melka Fiseha Lemango Male Mate Tesfaye Lejiso Biruk Gebremedhin Alemu Tolcha Biniam Shiferaw Girma Wondimu Tesfatsion Terefe Sinafikish Ayele Tebeje Misganaw Teka Samuel Temesgen Kelaye Agegnehu Gebru Amare Assefa Wogene Getachew Bereket Yalew Dereje Geleta Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. PLoS ONE |
| title | Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. |
| title_full | Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. |
| title_fullStr | Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. |
| title_short | Readiness of public schools before reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: School-based cross-sectional survey in southern Ethiopia. |
| title_sort | readiness of public schools before reopening during covid 19 pandemic school based cross sectional survey in southern ethiopia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293722 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT misganuendriyas readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT beletewoldemariam readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT endashawshibru readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT mamushhussen readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT bersabehbedru readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT mathewosmoges readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT mintesinotmelka readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT fisehalemango readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT malemate readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT tesfayelejiso readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT birukgebremedhin readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT alemutolcha readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT biniamshiferaw readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT girmawondimu readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT tesfatsionterefe readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT sinafikishayele readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT tebejemisganaw readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT tekasamuel readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT temesgenkelaye readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT agegnehugebru readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT amareassefa readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT wogenegetachew readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT bereketyalew readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia AT derejegeleta readinessofpublicschoolsbeforereopeningduringcovid19pandemicschoolbasedcrosssectionalsurveyinsouthernethiopia |