As schools re-open, Congo drops remote learning plan in Ebola red zone

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sept 2 - Schools reopened this week in areas of Democratic Republic of Congo hardest hit by Ebola, after authorities decided the risk of transmission was outweighed by the risk of pupils struggling with remote learning, an official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The death toll from the outbreak - the worst in Congo's long history with the disease - has exceeded 3,000, according to government data published on Wednesday, with cases spread across six provinces and a mortality rate of 48.6%.

More than 1,000 schools in Ituri are classified as being in the "red zone", meaning a high-risk zone or zone of active transmission, according to an education ministry document seen this week by Reuters.

Ministry regulations published on August 19 stipulated that schools in the red zone would temporarily replace in-person classes with "distance learning" involving worksheets distributed every two weeks and programmes broadcast on the radio and television.

But schools opened as usual this week in Ituri, an education ministry official said.

"The government reviewed its initial decision at the request of provincial authorities who wanted to ensure that students living even in red zones would not fall behind in the school curriculum compared to others," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

"At the first sign of a case, we will close and implement distance learning, but for now, that's not the case."

Schools also reopened in areas of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces controlled by the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels, who staged a lightning offensive in the region last year, according to a rebel official. Authorities are requiring hand-washing and social distancing in classrooms, the official said.

PARENTS ON HIGH ALERT

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo species, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

Anxiety about Ebola was evident this week well beyond the epicentre.

La Reine Vahwere stocked her three young children's backpacks with bottles of disinfectant before sending them off to school in the city of Beni, in North Kivu province, which accounts for 868 of Congo's 6,186 confirmed cases.

"I told them to avoid touching each other, physically touching their classmates," she said.

"Also, as I am accompanying them to school, I am going to ask the authorities to apply the protective measure of distancing within the classrooms. Because it would really be sad to see a child affected at school when at home the child is respecting the protective measures."

As students entered the school compound, a staff member instructed them to wash their hands with hand sanitiser and explained to them where to find wash basins and toilet paper.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people.

The education ministry official said hygiene kits had been installed in red zone schools. REUTERS