Ndejjo Rawlance, Tusubiira Andrew K, Kiwanuka Suzanne N, Bosonkie Marc, Bamgboye Eniola A, Diallo Issakha, Kabwama Steven N, Egbende Landry, Afolabi Rotimi F, Leye Mamadou Makhtar Mbacké, Namuhani Noel, Kashiya Yves, Bello Segun, Babirye Ziyada, Adebowale Ayo Stephen, Sougou Marieme, Monje Fred, Kizito Susan, Dairo Magbagbeola David, Bassoum Omar, Namale Alice, Seck Ibrahima, Fawole Olufunmilayo I, Mapatano Mala Ali, Wanyenze Rhoda K
Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2023 Oct 16;3(10):e0002452. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002452. eCollection 2023.
In 2020 and 2021, Governments across the globe instituted school closures to reduce social interaction and interrupt COVID-19 transmission. We examined the consequences of school closures due to COVID-19 across four sub-Saharan African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda. We conducted a qualitative study among key informants including policymakers, school heads, students, parents, civil society representatives, and local leaders. The assessment of the consequences of school closures was informed by the Diffusion of Innovations theory which informed the interview guide and analysis. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. Across the four countries, schools were totally closed for 120 weeks and partially closed for 48 weeks. School closures led to: i) Desirable and anticipated consequences: enhanced adoption of online platforms and mass media for learning and increased involvement of parents in their children's education. ii) Desirable and unanticipated consequences: improvement in information, communication, and technology (ICT) infrastructure in schools, development and improvement of computer skills, and created an opportunity to take leave from hectic schedules. iii) Undesirable anticipated consequences: inadequate education continuity among students, an adjustment in academic schedules and programmes, and disrupted student progress and grades. iv) Undesirable unanticipated: increase in sexual violence including engaging in transactional sex, a rise in teenage pregnancy, and school dropouts, demotivation of teachers due to reduced incomes, and reduced school revenues. v) Neutral consequences: engagement in revenue-generating activities, increased access to phones and computers among learners, and promoted less structured learning. The consequences of school closures for COVID-19 control were largely negative with the potential for both short-term and far-reaching longer-term consequences. In future pandemics, careful consideration of the type and duration of education closure measures and examination of their potential consequences in the short and long term is important before deploying them.
2020年和2021年，全球各国政府实施学校停课措施，以减少社交互动并阻断新冠病毒传播。我们研究了撒哈拉以南非洲四个国家因新冠疫情导致学校停课的后果，这四个国家分别是刚果民主共和国、尼日利亚、塞内加尔和乌干达。我们对包括政策制定者、学校校长、学生、家长、民间社会代表和地方领导人在内的关键信息提供者进行了定性研究。对学校停课后果的评估以创新扩散理论为依据，该理论为访谈指南和分析提供了指导。对访谈记录进行了主题分析。在这四个国家，学校完全停课120周，部分停课48周。学校停课导致了以下情况：一、理想且预期的后果：更多地采用在线平台和大众媒体进行学习，以及家长更多地参与子女教育。二、理想但意外的后果：学校信息通信技术（ICT）基础设施得到改善，计算机技能得到发展和提高，并创造了从繁忙日程中抽身的机会。三、不理想但预期的后果：学生的教育连续性不足，学术日程和课程进行调整，学生的进步和成绩受到干扰。四、不理想且意外的后果：性暴力增加，包括参与交易性性行为、少女怀孕率上升和辍学，教师因收入减少而积极性受挫，学校收入减少。五、中性后果：参与创收活动，学习者使用手机和电脑的机会增加，并促进了结构较松散的学习。学校停课对新冠疫情防控的后果在很大程度上是负面的，具有短期和深远的长期影响。在未来的大流行中，在实施教育停课措施之前，仔细考虑措施的类型和持续时间，并审视其短期和长期潜在后果非常重要。
