All 584,000 final year Junior High School (JHS) students across the country are to receive one hot meal each day.
Staff of the schools are also expected to be provided with the meals daily.
The President announced this while addressing the nation on Sunday, August 16, 2020.
According to the President, the decision stems from complaints from students about going hungry in an attempt to fully comply with COVID-19 preventive protocols.
“As a result of reports I have received that some final year JHS students are going hungry in complying with COVID-19 protocols, I have just instructed the Minister for Gender and Social Protection to begin preparation to ensure that as from 24th August up to 18th of September, all 584,000 final year JHS students and 146,000 staff both in public and private schools be given one hot meal a day. This is to ensure full observation of COVID-19 safety protocols.”
The President further announced that all continuing students in tertiary institutions that are yet to complete their academic year via online means are to return to school from August 24, 2020.
He added that before the arrival of the students, the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders are to ensure that the various campuses are disinfected.
“Through online learning portals, almost all continuing students in our universities have completed their studies for the academic year with exceptions at the University of Cape Coast, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Technical Universities and colleges. After extensive stakeholder consultations, a decision has been taken that continuing students in these tertiary institutions to return to school 24th of August to finish their academic year.”
The JHS students have been back at school since on Monday, June 29, 2020.
As part of guidelines for reopening, students were not allowed to take breaks outside the classroom.
