CAIRO: It is early morning and the sounds of birds are drowned out by the loud chanting, playing and singing of children in the Egyptian capital as children make their way back to school, which had been postponed until the weekend as the government believed the delay would limit the exposure to the H1N1 virus, or Swine flu. The children, however, seem unaware of the challenges, running wild with their friends as worried parents watch from the street. Mona, a 39-year-old housewife with three school age children, says it was a relief to see her kids get back to the classroom. Hanging around the house for an extra few weeks was not easy, even as fears of the Swine flu continue to worry her and other parents, who joined their children on the first day of classes this week. “I came here with them, to make sure the government was doing all they can,” said one parent as her 8-year-old sauntered happily to class, a mask covering their face in prevention. For Mona, she was also happy to see her children off to see their friends. “I had to put up with their anticipation. They all wanted to see their friends, go play and have fun. We all remember when going to school each year was not a bad thing,” the mother of three tells Bikya Masr. But, the situation for the family is not easy. Schools, even the public institutions, are not cheap, says Mona outside her childrens' Mohandiseen school. There are many things that they were forced to buy ahead of her childrens' attendance. “We had to go and buy the uniforms, the notebooks and the pens and pencils and all the other stuff they require of the children,” she says, adding that for her husband, a construction worker, “it is a tough time. We just don't have all the money necessary to do all that and still survive with all the rising costs of being Egyptian.” Uniforms, a requirement for all Egyptian students, are not cheap, often running in the hundreds of pounds for each child annually. In addition to the uniforms, school supplies are needed and daily lunches are a necessity for the children. “I remember when I was young, we just put our lunch in a plastic bag, but now, I see that children want the lunch boxes to have their food in. It may seem like a great thing, but when you have families struggling to make ends meet, it is just one more expense that could be avoided,” said Omar Mounib, a 32-year-old web designer at a local firm. In recent years, Egypt has seen the prices of essential foodstuffs, including rice, flour, sugar, milk, bread and others, rise in costs, forcing families to struggle as wages continue to remain stagnant. Mona's children do not have the new tin cans to carry their lunches, but dozens of the other children hold them with pride. “I am sure they will come back tonight and start talking about them, so my husband and I will have to find a way to get them. It is important that they fit in,” she admitted. The housewife admits that her family doesn't struggle like a vast number of Egyptian families to provide the essentials for their children, but it doesn't mean they can “spend money on anything. We have to make sacrifices and school is one of those, because it is expensive.” Swine flu is not going away, most parents understand and the government has established at least one quarantine room at every public school to help fight against a possible outbreak. For Mona and her family, it may not be enough. “We have spent so much on getting our kids prepared for classes that if they were to get sick, it would really be hard on us,” she added. There have been around 1,000 H1N1 flu cases reported in Egypt since the first case in June. Of them, only two people have died as a result of contracting the virus. Now, with school back in session, the government, parents and observers worry that it could spark a major outbreak that could see the country on tough times. BM
