Schools in Senegal have reopened after months of closure. Students returned to schools on Thursday. Four million students, from primary to secondary school, are expected to return to classes, but a number of them are reported to have delayed their return.
Schools were closed in March after the first case of COVID-19 in the country. Only 500,000 students in examination classes had returned to school by June.
Since then, the pandemic appears to have been contained at low levels. Senegal reported 15,744 cases and 326 deaths.
Economic activity, which has been severely affected, is slowly resuming its course. But there is also a slackening of daily vigilance.
UNICEF said in early October that only one country in three from west and central Africa has managed to reopen its schools for the start of the school year 2020-2021 on schedule.
Ministry of education spokesman Mohamed Moustapha Diagne said a health protocol with the ministry of health have been defined, for the compulsory wearing of masks – except in preschool – hand washing, physical distancing.