If I were Lazarus Chakwera

President of the Republic of Malawi, I would take a firm stand on whether or not to reopen schools in September amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

If I were Laz, I would appreciate that I find myself between a hard rock and a deep blue sea, but as a leader I should always take a stand whether popular or not because such a bold stance will show the nation whether it has a trusted leader or not.

Oh yes, if I were Chakwera, I would realise the dilemma that if schools cannot open now, we are carrying over the third term to 2021, but at the same time, I would also appreciate that the nation is not yet safe from the Covid-19 pandemic; hence,  reopening the schools could speed up local transmission as has been the case in other countries.

If I were the President, I would also realise that if schools were to reopen, teachers would require risk allowances and personal protective equipment.

With the local transmission still high, I would consider suggestions to gradually reopen learning institutions to give ample time for implementation of safety measures  and assess their effectiveness for the good of both students and teachers.

If I were Abusa, I would realise that above all, the most delicate issue is financial investment.

But I am not the President of the Republic of Malawi.