Download Cambodia’s summer school holidays start early this year – to try and save students’ lives.
The Government has closed all kindergartens and primary schools in an effort to stop a deadly outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease.
The illness has killed 56 children in the country so far.
Khortieth Him has more from Phnom Penh.
It’s 8.30 in the morning, but students are already out of class.
School holidays started on July 18 this year – 10 days earlier than scheduled.
3rd grade student Sotha Nith is waiting for his mother to pick him up at Phnom Penh’s Anuwat primaryschool.
“I don’t know why we were sent home early. My teacher just told me that vacations start from today. She also told us not to play outside and not to stay out under the sun. I must take medication immediately if I catch a fever. That’s what she told us in class, we must be careful of hand, foot and mouth disease.”
His mother, Srey Mom, finally arrives – she didn’t know the holidays had started early.
“I’m worried about my children, that they might catch hand, foot and mouth disease. I’m afraid of the spread of the virus.”
First signs of the disease outbreak appeared last April.
61 cases across 14 provinces have been confirmed, affecting children between 3 months to 11 years.
56 children have died so far, with most of them under 3 years old.
The disease is caused by the EnteroVirus 71, or EV-71. Symptoms typically start with a fever, poor appetite, and a sore throat.
Then it usually causes a rash on the hands, feet and sometimes genitals, as well as mouth sores – most of the victims died within about 24 hours.
The virus spreads through direct contact with body fluids, including sneezing, coughing, or stool contamination.
And that’s got parents worried about the safety of their children.
The Ministry of Education ordered the closure of nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools last week.
Mak Van is the Deputy Education Minister.
“We must consider parents’ concerns that the disease could infect their children. We ended the school term early to prevent the spread of the disease among children.”
Investigators say this is almost certainly the first time the disease has appeared in Cambodia – but it’s not the only country to be affected in recent years.
According to reports, over 160 people died in Vietnam from the illness last year, and this year around another 240 in China.
The World Health Organisation has helped Cambodia to investigate the deaths, and confirm that they were caused by the disease.
But WHO did not recommend shutting schools early, says communication officer Sonny Krishnan.
“WHO does not recommend the closing the nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools in response to hand, foot, and mouth disease. But we leave it to the member countries of WHO whether they want to close or not close the primary schools, because the final decision lies with them and we respect that decision.”
Closing schools nationwide can risk causing panic – which doesn’t help to deal with the disease.
Cambodia has around ten thousand kindergartens and primary schools, with over 2 million students.
Education advocates are worried this decision will harm students’ education.
Rong Chun is the President of the Cambodian Independent Teacher Association.
“This closure, of course this will affect our children. They can’t finish their studies and complete the year’s curriculum. There are a lot of other options that the government can take to tackle the issue, especially as the health sector is taking care of it.”
But Director of the Primary School Department in the Ministry of Education, Chan Sophea, says things are under control.
“Schools have finished teaching their curriculum and exam results have also been announced already. The only thing left is to review the lessons, and it’s just minor.”
Schools are scheduled to re-open in October, the same as usual.
And while students stay home, the World Health Organisation advises them to focus on their personal hygiene – it’s the best form of prevention.
WHO’s Sonny Krishnan again.
“It’s easy to prevent the disease. You just need to ensure that one is doing proper hand hygiene – wash your hands after using the toilet, wash your hands before eating. You have to make sure that the children are doing the same thing. And if your child has a fever, take your child immediately to the nearest health centre.”
The government is also running an information campaign with posters up across the country – aimed especially at mothers and children.
Back at Anuwat primary school, 36-year old parent Khat Oon still has concerns over the government’s decision.
“It is the government’s right to make the decision. We just follow that. But it would be better for me and my children if the school ran as scheduled.”
The authorities say they’re monitoring the situation closely and no new cases have been confirmed in the last couple of weeks.
