The Ghana Education Service (GES) says it has put in place adequate measures to ensure that basic schools operate under safe teaching and learning conditions after their official reopening on Monday, January 18, 2021.
This was contained in a release issued by the GES and signed by its Head of Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo.
In the release, the GES allayed the fears of teaching and non-teaching staff, students, parents and the public over possible infections in the schools.
The Service has therefore directed schools to carry out clean-up exercises on Monday for academic work to continue the following day, Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
“Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) wishes to inform students, teachers, parents and the general public that schools officially reopen on Monday 181h January 2021 for the academic year. Management of GES, therefore, directs that all schools should use Monday to tidy up their classrooms and compound. Academic work will therefore begin on Tuesday 19th January 2021”, part of the statement read.
GES also announced that the annual event dubbed ‘My First Day at School’ observed to welcome children entering school for the first time, will be held across all Districts and Regional Education Directorate on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
The statement added, “students, parents, teachers and the general public are assured that the schools have been made safe for effective teaching and learning and therefore should not panic. Let us get back to school for safe learning.”
Schools in the country were closed since March 15, 2020, as part of the government’s measures to curtail the spread of the COVID-19.
But after nine months of closure due to COVID-19, President Akufo-Addo in his 21st address announced the opening of schools for basic schools on 15th January.
Some parents have however expressed anxiety over the possible spread of the virus in the school as Ghana’s cases increase.
No need panicking over reopening of schools’ – Okoe Boye assures parents
But former Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye is assuring parents of the safety of their wards as schools reopen soon, saying there is no cause for alarm.
“Even as, we reopen schools, what we want to do, is to put in place risk reduction measures. That is not to say there are zero risks. There is even some level of risk at the workplace, but parents go to work, market, and anywhere they go, there is a form of risk, but whey do they step out? Because they believe they wash their hands and wear their mask. I think it is important that we are not doing this recklessly.”
“That is why the government has put in place a mechanism to ensure that all schools are fumigated, disinfected and make sure that students go to school with the government giving them a mask. We are also making sure that the veronica bucket is filled with soap and all that. These are the things you do to ensure that there is no outbreak”, he assured.
