With almost two complete terms of missed school behind us, we find ourselves in a condition of bewildering uncertainty as to whether we will face a third term of near-complete absence of conventional classroom schooling. It may have been the fearsome likely impact of the dreaded coronavirus that compelled us to close our school doors hastily in March, creating history by setting aside conventional schooling for the single longest period in the history of conventional schooling in Guyana. It has to be said, however, that the political theatre that followed the March 2 general election did not help. COVID-19 may have been the substantive national emergency but the sheer absurdity of the to-ing and fro-ing of the drama associated with the elections results had the effect of significantly shifting attention and resources from mounting anywhere near an adequate response to the huge crisis in the education system resulting from COVID-19 and the attendant schools’ closure.
