The Zambia National Education Coalition ( ZANEC ) says the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic has threatened Sustainable development Agenda, including Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on education which has seen the closure of schools, colleges and universities in nearly 200 countries, Zambia inclusive.

ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga has underscored that the closing of schools has affected over 1.5 billion learners and has deepened the patterns of inequality and exclusion.

In a statement to ZANIS marking the commemoration of g the Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) falling today, Mr Hamusunga the COVID-19 has greatly impacted the implementation of various development policies such as the 7th National Development Plan, the vision 2030 and the Education and Skills Sector Plan (ESSP), among others.

“The implementation of national plans such as the 7th National Development Plan, the vision 2030 and the Education and Skills Sector Plan (ESSP) are also greatly affected by the outbreak of COVID 19. However, we should not let COVID 19 make us lose the many gains we have made in the sector.

“ To achieve this, we need to ring-fence the resources allocated for the education sector and use them to sustain learning during the COVID 19 period. This is because education is one of the key sectors that cannot wait or put on hold,” he said.

In line with this year’s theme for GAWE which is “Accelerating a collaborative response to the COVID-19 Pandemic”, the ZANEC Executive Director urged government and donors, in collaboration with national and international partners to urgently ensure safe, inclusive, equitable and right based access for all learners to emergency distance learning and psychosocial support during and after the COVID-19 crisis .

He in the same statement reiterated that everyone should be involved in mitigating the impact of COVID 19 on the education of our learners by not only leaving the burden of providing and ensuring that learning is taking place to the government alone.

“All stakeholders should play their role in ensuring that all children are accessing learning via e-learning portal and television. Currently, our Early Childhood Education learners are not benefitting from these ongoing programmes.

“ Therefore, there is need for stakeholders to increase their support to enable the Ministry of General Education address the current learning gaps. Parents and guardians should also continue playing their role of guiding their children’s learning activities at home,” stressed Mr.Hamusunga.

He further urged all stakeholders to support the measures that the ministries of education have put in place such as the Education Contingency Plan for novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

GAWE is one of the key advocacy events for the education movement. It is being commemorated at a time when the world is faced with a public health crisis of the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) was established as a coalition by civil society actors who saw the need for a common platform to promote and advocate for education.

As such, it is a national coalition of civil society comprising community based Organisations, Faith based Organisations, Non-governmental organisations and teacher trade unions.

ZANEC currently has membership standing at sixty-eight (68) member organisations spread around the country.

Globally, there are still around 260 million out-of-school children and 773 million illiterate adults the trend which the United Nations is trying to reverse using the Sustainable Development Goal number 4 which advocates for quality and inclusive education system for all.

As COVID-19 spread across Africa and leaders put their countries in lockdown, Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina last month launched an herbal remedy that he claimed could prevent and cure the disease.

The announcement caught medical experts, who have scrambled to find a cure for the disease that has killed more than 252,000 and infected at least 3.6 million people globally, by surprise.

Rajoelina, a former DJ who in 2009 at the age of 34 became the continent’s youngest national leader, claimed at the launch that the remedy, named Covid-Organics, had already cured two people.

“This herbal tea gives results in seven days,” Rajoelina, 45, told journalists and diplomats in April.

Soldiers have since been going door-to-door in the Indian Ocean island country, which has reported 149 cases and no fatalities, dispensing the concoction.

What is in Covid-Organics?

The herbal remedy is produced from artemisia, a plant with proven efficacy against malaria, and other indigenous herbs, according to the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research, which developed the beverage.

The plant was first imported into the island nation in the 1970s from China to treat malaria.

It is now marketed in bottles as a herbal tea, while Rajoelina has said clinical trials are under way in Madagascar to produce a form that can be injected into the body.

Is it safe or effective?

Following Rajoelina’s claims, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised people against using untested remedies for COVID-19.

“Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world,” WHO, the United Nations health agency, said in a statement on Monday.

“Even if therapies are derived from traditional practice and natural, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical,” the statement added.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also warned people against using unproven remedies.

“There is no scientific evidence that any of these alternative remedies can prevent or cure the illness caused by COVID-19. In fact, some of them may not be safe to consume,” the CDC said.

Meanwhile, the African Union said it was in discussion with Madagascar with a view to obtain technical data regarding the safety and efficiency of the herbal remedy.

In an attempt to reassure people and brush aside safety concerns, Rajoelina took a dose of Covid-Organics at the launch event and said it was safe to be given to children.

Has it been exported?

Several African countries, including Tanzania, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, have either placed orders or have received consignments of the remedy.

On Sunday, Tanzanian President John Magufuli said he was dispatching a plane to Madagascar to collect a shipment of the tonic.

“I’m communicating with Madagascar,” Magufuli said during a speech, adding: “They have got a medicine. We will send a flight there and the medicine will be brought in the country so that Tanzanians too can benefit.”

Meanwhile in Guinea-Bissau, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo went to the airport on Saturday to receive a shipment of the beverage donated by the Madagascan leader.

COVID-19 has spread to all but one country in Africa, Lesotho. As of Tuesday, at least 1,862 people across the continent have died from the virus.

Source Al Jazeera

By Paul Samasumo – Vatican City

Due to COVID-19, Zambia’s Livingstone Diocese St Theresa’s Cathedral Administrator, Fr. Clifford Mulasikwanda, found himself with an empty Church, a cell phone, small laptop microphone and a second-hand tripod borrowed from a parishioner.
“Definitely, the COVID-19 crisis has brought about many negatives. The coronavirus is a terrible disease that needs to be eradicated. However, the crisis has shockingly led us onto a path we never contemplated just a few weeks ago. With COVID-19, we suddenly had to start streaming the Eucharist live on Facebook. We also suddenly had to increase content on social media and prepare for Easter celebrations and events that would be streamed live. All Churches in Zambia are closed, and the government is encouraging people to Stay at home. In our Cathedral parish, the rate of social media adoption and acceptance by the parishioners came like manna from heaven,” observed the Cathedral Administrator, Fr. Mulasikwanda.

Limitations, challenges with the technology

Necessity is the mother of invention. The Cathedral parish was woefully unprepared for live streaming and an increase in social media content. They did not have the needed equipment.
“So far, we only have my phone -a smartphone, small laptop microphone and a second-hand tripod borrowed from a parishioner. These have so far served us well, though with much struggle. Funds allowing, we would like to acquire the correct video capturing cameras and good microphones. Due to budget constraints, we have also been reliant on free Internet software. Our experience in the parish has taught us that the in-built free software, for audio and video, provided for by Facebook and WhatsApp, is often limited, in terms of functionality. That software is meant for home videos and so on. As a result of the lack of good equipment, the audio quality of our live Mass is often compromised. Parishioners have been understanding, but we cannot take their patience for granted,” Fr. Mulasikwanda said.

People need to see what they hear

Fr. Mulasikwanda says, “In today’s world, people need to see what they hear!  Otherwise, given our limitedness and the circumstances surrounding our parish, we make do with what we have as we slowly seek to improve both on content and the technology used,” he said.
“Aware of the fact that to stream live Spiritual events is costly on data, some parishioners, have even made modest donations and contributions, for the acquisition of data. There are many good people in our parish,” noted Fr. Mulasikwanda

Team of young persons

The Cathedral parish actually already had a Facebook and WhatsApp page managed by a small team of young people supervised by the Cathedral Administrator himself. Initially, these two platforms were mostly for parish administrative announcements and the occasional reflection. Now, they are constantly being updated with content such as Scripture readings, video and audio reflections and uplifting messages. The parish continues use them also for announcements and other useful messages. Daily streaming of Mass is now an important feature that is drawing-in many followers.

Most popular in Zambia are Facebook and WhatsApp

“People on this side of our world appreciate and use the most, Facebook and WhatsApp. These two seem to be quite easily accessible and available, across all classes of people: Men and women, boys and girls, senior citizens and the young, all seem to like Facebook and WhatsApp. As a pastoral worker, managing the Cathedral of St. Theresa’s in Livingstone Diocese, Zambia, I have noticed, with delight, how parishioners appreciate the existence of their official parish Facebook account and WhatsApp page,” observed Fr. Mulasikwanda.
How do you gauge the response to what you are doing?
“We have had the chance to ask many of our parishioners about their feedback. The response has been overwhelming. To give you an example: A parishioner, Anthony Ranjan, who is a Certified Chartered Accountant, told us, ‘Father thanks a lot for the creation of these tools. We appreciate them a lot. They are helping us to follow daily Mass from our homes. Thank you again for the Daily Bible Reflections.’ Another lady, Hilda Tembo, a parishioner from a nearby parish sent us a message about our Facebook page, ‘We thank you for creating the page. It is not only for parishioners of your parish. Even us, we are following you. Yesterday (Easter Vigil) when the Church bell was rung during the Gloria, my family and I came out of the house, we sung along and danced. Father may God bless you.’ Moba Mulenga said this about our Facebook live Mass, ‘We appreciate the Mass. We only need to improve on the audio output. You know there is too echo in an empty Church.’ There are several of our parishioners who hold similar sentiments about the two social media platforms of our parish. Many love the spiritual nourishment and the interconnectedness that these tools have created,” Fr. Mulasikwanda said.

You never know where the Spirit blows

When asked what he would you say to other parish priests or ministers who feel a little intimidated, challenged or reluctant to embrace social media for evangelisation, Fr. Mulasikwanda had this to say:

“The comments from our followers has made us aware that we have created a Church without borders, without boundaries. The people of God hunger for the Word of God during these challenging moments. Every minister of religion, who positively uses social media, certainly does not have a limited audience. You never know where the Spirit blows. Through social media, parishioners are being evangelised, catechised and sanctified.

VATICAN NEWS