Thank you for reopening schools, Mr President!

And thank you Covid-19, for showing us that  many illness  can be avoided – hence less money spent on curing diseases – by simply sanitizing surfaces and hands, writes 13-year-old, Ngomusa Gina from Advent Hope Christian School in Hlhuhluwe.

The lockdown was not good because we were not allowed to go wherever we wanted, so we spent most time at home watching the television. But there were good things about lockdown, like learning on line. That was good because schools were closed. It showed us that learning is not limited to classroom walls. Even at home we can learn. More so, our parents were actively involved in our learning.

The bad things about lockdown were that we were not free to do nice things like swimming.  Playing with our friends and visiting others was disallowed. The lockdown was binding. I don’t want it again. I hate the lockdown and how it also caused fighting over small things.

So my message to the President is: Thank you for opening schools. I say: ‘Thank you, it was hard, but thank you. It saved us.”

When this pandemic is over, I shall walk freely in the open air again.

When it is declared that there is no more coronavirus, I hope the government declares a red-letter day. Let everyone come together and let the be a celebration of victory to those still alive and a commemoration for those who succumbed to the pandemic.

Sanitizing hands must continue to be a hygienic principle across the world. The World Health Organisation(WHO) should declare this practice a must-do for everyone and anyone violating it, should be arrested. This would prevent many illness and hence less money would be spent on curing diseases that could have been avoided by a simple principle such as sanitizing surfaces and hands every now and then.

I wish when this virus is over we turn over a new leaf. Let everyone fight other diseases in the same joint effort. Nothing cannot be defeated if we work together in this world. The rich and the poor, all working together and all practising the safety measures to safeguard the world. Our lifestyles should be guided by common practices and rules.

Covid-19 made us realise how important hygiene and how important healthy food.  We also learnt that when we work together we are able to defeat our enemies. Social distancing has taught us to respect other people’s space. This is even good for boys and girls who get tempted when they start to touch each other in love and end up falling into temptations.

Those who take beer also have been taught that they can live without taking beer! In my thinking we will win this battle of Covid-19. People are dying but God will help us.

 

• This is a very slightly edited version of Ngomusa Gina’s entry to Roving Reporters journalism themed writing competition, Life After Lockdown – The Future We Want. Click here to read more shortlisted entries submitted by various schools in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. 

For adjudicators’ reference: Entrant 23_Ngomusa Gina

 

LIFE AFTER COVID-19 – THE FUTURE WE WANT

After the Covid-19 pandemic, will everything return to how it was before – or will we change how we live in the future? Will we realise the need to make this world a better place, both for people and for nature?

These are the key questions in Roving Reporters’ journalism-themed writing competition, Life After Covid-19 – The Future We Want, catering the school learners from Grade 7 upwards across the country.

The competition forms part of a broader reporting project supported by Super Save and Media Development and Diversity Agency.

“We are encouraging high school children to document their experiences of the pandemic and reflect on how they would like to see the world change for the better,” said Roving Reporters director Fred Kockott. “Reflection is a first step to change, and this project gives learners a voice and an opportunity to have some agency in how their future unfolds.”

We plan to run the competition through to the end of the school year, with a top entry published every fortnight.

Schools that wish to submit entries should click here to access the entry forms and writing guide to share with learners who wish to take part.

For further information contact Fred Kockott on 083 277 8907 or email fredk@rovingreporters.co.za

Now read: Poet’s take on life after Covid-19: “We fell asleep in one world and woke in another”