General News of Tuesday, 29 December 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Government must provide coronavirus safety kits ahead of school reopening – Africa Education Watch

File photo: A school pupil wearing a nose mask File photo: A school pupil wearing a nose mask

Africa Education Watch, an education think tank, has said the government must provide COVID-19 safety kits ahead of the reopening of schools.

Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, told Citi News that the COVID 19 protocols must be adhered to when school reopens to prevent a spike.

“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,” he said.

Schools were shut down in March this year as part of measures to stop the spread of the virus in Ghana.

Senior High Schools were later reopened partially for final year students to complete their academic work and also sit for their exit exams and for continuing students to complete their academic terms.

But there is a firm plan by the government to re-open schools at all levels early next month.

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is receiving briefings from the COVID-19 Technical Taskforce on limited school re-openings and will make a firm decision on whether schools should reopen in January by December 30, 2020.