Second cycle institutions in the Upper East Region are yet to receive government’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for both students and staff to commence academic work as final year and second-year gold track students resumed school on Monday, June 22, 2020.
Government had assured that all Senior High Schools (SHSs) would have received their PPE by Sunday, June 21, 2020, to enable students and staff keep to strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
But school authorities in the region say they wonder why all second cycle institutions in the various regions have received their PPE except the Upper East Region.
Speaking to Citi News on the readiness of secondary schools to resume academic work, headmaster for Bolgatanga Senior High School, Afelibiek Ababu said the government was yet to dispatch PPE meant for second cycle institutions in the region.
“For today, our intention was to receive the PPE from the government which we are supposed to distribute to the students, but unfortunately, as we speak we haven’t received anything yet as a region. The Upper East Region has not received anything yet and as of now, only nose masks are in Tamale waiting to be airlifted by helicopter to Bolgatanga. But they are also saying they cannot airlift only the nose masks. They are waiting for the rest of the items; sanitizers and thermometer guns so that they will airlift tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, to Bolgatanga for us to pick them up to our schools,” he said.
When Citi News contacted the Regional Director of Education, Augustine Ayirezang to comment on whether or not the region hasn’t received PPE from government, he declined.
Generally, students had turned out at their respective schools in their nose masks while observing social distancing and poised to commence academic work.
A visit to the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School, ZAMSE Senior High Technical school, Bolgatanga Technical Institute and the Bolgatanga Senior High School also witnessed authorities putting in place safety COVID-19 preventive measures to accommodate students on campus.
Headteachers of the schools told Citi News they have satisfied all the directives by the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education and were ready to commence academic work.
Some of the students expressed optimism to learn extra hard after a challenging COVID-19 break from school to excel in their exit examination.
