The four main pre-tertiary teacher unions are demanding a reduction in the number of teachers required to be on school premises to guard against COVID-19 spread.
In a statement, they noted that there was no need for teachers on standby to be on school premises.
“We demand that any teacher who is not on duty and has no schedule for the day should be on standby in the house instead of the school. This is to ensure that there is a minimum number of staff at the workplace at a given time.”
The unions stressed that this would be in line with an MOU signed in March 2020 which urged all public institutions to “prioritise the health of public workers by providing flexible working hours.”
Because of the increased risk of contracting the virus due to the ongoing voter registration taking place at some schools, the unions also noted the need for the promised Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“We demand that not only should the school environment be secured, but also the full complement of the PPE should be provided to all pre-tertiary educational institutions in session by the close of work on Friday 3rd July 2020.”
“This [the voter registration] is increasing the risk of COVID-19 in the school environment since hundreds of people troop into the school environment with wanton disregard to the COVID-19 safety protocols.”
The unions that were signatory to the statement are the Teachers and Education Workers Union, the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana.
Some 800,000 students, teachers, and non-teaching staff were expected at various school premises nationwide after Senior High Schools reopened for final year students and second-year Gold Track students on Monday, June 22.
Some 750,000 students, teachers and non-teaching staff are also back at school in Junior High Schools.
