Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak is demanding a clear exit plan from the government for students after they are done with 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
According to him, this is necessary in view of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in some Senior High Schools (SHS).
The Minority has called for schools to shut due to the number of cases in the schools, but the exams begun in earnest on Monday, July 20, 2020.
Speaking to Citi News, the Builsa South MP said the students after their exam cannot just be allowed back into the community.
“It is no longer a secret that COVID-19 is present among our students. So it will be good for us to hear ahead of time what government’s plans are, not only for those who may be sick, recovering or are in isolation but what is going to happen after they are done with the exams? I think we shouldn’t wait,” he indicated.
Since the reopening of schools for final year students to enable them to partake in their exit examinations, parents, educational stakeholders, the Minority in Parliament, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the National Council for Parent Teacher Association (PTA) have called for the closure of the schools given the increase in the number of cases being recorded in educational institutions.
Some have also called for the mass testing of students as an additional infection management protocol.
Although some guidelines have been outlined to stem the spread, these groups say they are not completely enthused about the existing situation in schools, hence, students should be allowed to return home in a bid to safeguard them against the virus.
Exit plan for SHS students after WASSCE being developed – GES
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has said it is in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service working on a strategic plan on how Senior High School (SHS) students will be made to go back home after the successful completion of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the measures to be adopted is a possible mandatory quarantine of the students before they are finally allowed to integrate with the larger community.
Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi Owusu-Amankwa who gave the hint, however, did not mention mass testing as one of the steps to be taken.
He indicated that the predetermined criteria will be spelt out to ensure the necessary safety precautions to avert any further spread of the virus once the students return home.
“When the students are done with the WASSCE, they will definitely go home. The conversation is that the Ghana Health Service will put in whatever contingency measure in place before they go home. They [Ghana Health Service] will tell us the details, but maybe when they [students] are going home, some arrangements will be made for them to quarantine. I had a conversation with the Ghana Health Service Director-General so obviously something will be done”, he told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV.