The Institute for Education Studies (IFEST) is calling on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to suspend the reopening of basic schools till personal protective equipment are distributed to all schools in the country.
A statement signed by acting Executive Director of IFEST, Peter Anti said: “This situation is likely to put both teachers and students at risk and should not be allowed to continue.”
He entreated parents to “provide their wards with at least a nose mask and hand sanitiser to enable them [students] to stick to the protocols.”
Due to this development, the PRO of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Obeng-Fosu, instructed school authorities who are yet to take delivery of government Personal Protection Equipment to reach out to their district education offices.
The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 21st address announced the reopening of basic and tertiary levels of education in the country after a COVID-19 induced closure.
The government promised to distribute PPE to all schools across the country as a measure to curb the spread and a task force team from the GES to enforce compliance.
However, some schools have reportedly not received these items.
The Institute for Education Studies chastised the government for not fulfiling its words and “that the practice of having a discrepancy between what a policy directive is and practical happenings on the ground should come to a halt.”
