The Ghana Education Service (GES) has instituted measures, including the training of a taskforce, to ensure pre-tertiary school children, particularly girls, return to school in January 2021.

The training of the “Back-to-School” taskforce at Wchiau in the Wa West District forms part of a “Back-to-School Advocacy Campaign” spearheaded by the Girls’ Education Unit of the GES with support from UNICEF.

The training will also disseminate guidelines for the prevention of pregnancy among school girls and the facilitation of re-entry into school after childbirth.”

Alhaji Dasaana N. S. Adamu, the Upper West Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Privates Schools, noted that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country could increase the number of school dropouts if steps were not taken to counter its impact.

Alhaji Adamu said the “Back-to-School” campaign, which involved regional and district teams, was to sensitize communities and school children on the need for them to return to school.

The two-day training covered areas, including the prevention of pregnancy and re-entry for girls, safe schools and COVID-19 protocols, interventions, and emerging issues among others.

Alhaji Adamu however entreated teachers and school authorities to employ positive discipline tools such as gifts and praises to entice the children rather than corporal punishment that could deter the child from returning to school.

Prior to this development, President Akufo-Addo announced that schools would resume in January 2021 after they were closed down in March this year due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.