The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has called on government to ensure strict adherence to safety guidelines on the COVID 19 protocols on resumption of schools.

According to him, for the possibility of schools commencing next year to materialize, the government must put in place strict measures to ensure that they observe COVID-19 prevention protocols.

His comments follow the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah’s statement on President Akufo-Addo’s meeting Cabinet today, Wednesday 30th December 2020 to deliberate on possible reopening of schools.

Commenting on the President’s meeting, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah revealed that government has been in consultations with various stakeholders within the sector to draw up some comprehensive and thorough plan on the reopening of schools.

He further stated that, the meeting of cabinet with President Akufo-Addo today is to conclude and figure out a way forward.

“President Nana Akufo-Addo prepares to meet cabinet tomorrow for a final decision on the possible reopening of schools in January”.
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah

According to him, the president will equally examine the proposals for assuring the safety of our children, should schools reopen.

With this, Mr. Asare expressed his outfit’s anticipation on government’s provision of safety kits to ensure safety is guaranteed to all and sundry.

“As a nation, our commitment to comply with the protocols is what will make the difference whether we can open schools definitely or not. But, I think we can because we actually operated schools when we were recording an increase in community spread, but we managed the situation until examinations were completed. So we are counting on the government’s readiness to supply necessary kits on time, so we can have a safe reopening”.
Kofi Asare

With schools having closed since March 15, 2020, as part of the government’s measures to curtail the spread of the COVID-19, some educational institutions were successively reopened partially for final year students to complete their academic work and also sit for their final exams and for continuing students to complete their academic terms.

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday, August 31, 2020, during his 16th COVID-19 update to Ghanaians, announced that, the Ghana Education Service, after further consultations, decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS 1 and SHS 1 students.

“The next academic year will resume in January 2021, with appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum, to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year. The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in school of all streams of students, can occur in safety”.
President Akufo-Addo