Schools reopen for preschoolers and first graders: What do parents say?

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"At a time when the disease is everywhere, I am not willing to send my child to school. I have brought my child here because she wanted to come," says one parent, keeping her distance from the crowd under a tree.

Another one is waiting a few meters away, she seems quite concerned. "I am agitated, fearful and stressed. I have brought my son because he wanted to; if it had been up to me, I would not have done it," she says.

While there are still debates on whether it is a good idea to reopen schools amid a recent surge in both the numbers of cases and fatalities of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), schools have reopened for first graders and preschoolers in Turkey as of today (September 21).

Students seem quite excited for their first day at school; however, it is not possible to say the same thing for parents.

We are in Beylikdüzü district at the outskirts of İstanbul. Waiting in front of the Beylikdüzü Çağdaş Yaşam Profesör Ahmet Merdivenci Primary School, we see parents and children gathering. Children are running around, looking all excited and happy; but the parents are visibly pale.

Almost all of them say the same thing: "I have brought my child because she wanted to come; otherwise, I would not have done it."

Under normal circumstances, there are 45 students in a regular classroom in this primary school. However, due to the pandemic, the classrooms now have 15 children each. Parents are looking at the lists outside the school, searching for the names of their children so that they can learn on which day of the week when they will get education.

If their children's classes are scheduled for Monday, so today, they start to wait in a corner. If not, they take away their children and leave, looking relieved. But, needless to say, children are of course a bit sad about it.

One of these parents is Ahmet Tayyar. As he has seen that his child's lessons will be held on Tuesday, he tries to get away from the crowd as soon as possible. But he still looks more at ease than other parents. He does not think that the outbreak will end soon:

"I think the outbreak will continue for 10 years, it does not seem to end. Schools have to open. Not without education... But our children and teachers need to be protected. The necessary measures have to be taken, investments need to be made and money must be spent."

'I would not do it if she was not a first grader'

Unable to see the name of his daughter in the list, Emre Topaloğlu also says that schools have to open:

"I wanted to teach my daughter how to read and write; but when I looked at how it was done in practice, I saw that it is not like how we were taught it back then. Even the sounds made while pronouncing the letters have changed. I will teach the child in the way I have learned it, but I am concerned that she will get confused when she starts school.

"I would not have sent her if she was not a first grader, but the first grade is important. She went to kindergarten last year, but it was interrupted. If the child is disheartened about education before even starting it, we cannot put things straight. I am not happy that she will come to school once a week. But there used to be 45 people in our class, they have now divided it into 15-people classes. We will come on different days. We are here today, but will leave soon and come again on Wednesday."

'We don't know what to do'

Müge Kartal and her daughter Asya Naz are waiting somewhere near the entrance door of the school. Asya holds her mother's hand, asking her over and over again to go inside. Müge Kartal says that she is sad because she cannot share Asya's joy on her first day at school:

"We are excited, but I also hesitate. I have sent my daughter to school because she wanted it so much. I do this just because I do not want to dishearten her... Otherwise, I would not have done it. It is said that hospitals are full amid increasing number of cases. I have diabetes; if something bad happens to me, I have two little kids, what will happen to them? But not sending them to school is not a solution, either.

"We do not know what to do. We will follow up the process and if the things turn out for the worse, I will not send her. I made the necessary warnings to my daughter. I told her to not hug anyone and not exchange things. I put extra masks, disinfectants and wet wipes in her backpack. But she is a child after all and children forget about everything while they are playing a game. I also have a child at the age of kindergarten, but I have not sent him. As I saw how excited my daughter was, I did not want to dishearten her."

'I will observe the number of cases'

We also see another parent waiting quite apart from others. Meray Mansuroğlu Mecit is also one of the parents who are really reluctant to bring their children to school, because she is afraid: "I have brought my child over because she wanted to come. As a parent, I am not willing to send my child to school at a time when the disease is everywhere around us.

"My mother lives with us, she has chronic diseases. I really fear that she will get sick. But my child wants to go to school. He was so excited that he could not sleep at night. We know our teacher, she was also the teacher of my elder son. She is really meticulous, and cares for her students. I have brought my son here today because I trust his teacher. But I will still observe, if the number of cases increases in a week, I will not send him."

'I have another child with asthma, I am afraid'

Filiz Köseden is also watching the students entering the school from a distance. One can see her anxiety in her eyes. When she starts to speak, we can hear the same anxiety in her voice as well.

Köseden is also one of those parents who have brought their children because they wanted to come to school so much: "I am agitated, fearful and stressed. I have brought my son because he wanted to come so much; if it had been up to me, I would not have done it.

"Most of his friends from the kindergarten ask, 'Why cannot I go?' Everyone looks at one another as a suspected coronavirus case. I also have a 10-year-old son and he has asthma. I am afraid. If the number of cases increases, I will definitely not send him.'

'We wanted to see the class, but they did not let'

Children are now entering the school one by one. Parents wait for some time, then they also start to leave. One of these parents is Betül Sönmez. "We wanted to see the classroom, but they did not let us in," she says.

"We do not know what they do; they say that they have put disinfectants, but we don't know," she adds.

"Half of the school is empty. They have grouped the classes into 15, but they could have divided the classes more. I send my child because she is 7; otherwise, I would not have done it. If she does not go to school this year, she will turn 8 next year and will be more disheartened about the school because she will not be with her peers. I do not know how effective it will be for them to come to school once a week.

'Everywhere is open except for schools'

"Everywhere is open, but schools are closed. The exact opposite would normally be expected. Shopping malls, cafes, restaurants should be closed and schools opened. But schools are places that are burdensome for the state rather than bringing revenue; so, everywhere is open, but schools are closed. If everyone had stayed in their own city, if there had been no permits for intercity travel, our children would be at their schools now. I cannot even share the joy of my child due to my fear." (RT/SD)