About 80 per cent of school proprietors, have stated their preparedness to protect themselves and their pupils against COVID-19 when schools reopen.

A study conducted by the Centre for Learning and Childhood Disabilities (CLCD) said a high percentage of teachers (61.2 per cent) and proprietors (81 per cent) said they were ready to resume academic work, with the schools designating special areas for the sick.

Dr Kwame Sakyi, Executive Director of CLCD told the Ghana News Agency that they interviewed a total of 456 persons, including 379 Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers; and 77 ECD Proprietors/Managers, directors, administrators, caretakers, and headteachers.

The study indicated that the most feasible ways teachers and proprietors said they could prevent COVID-19 in their schools were for the children to wear nose masks and for the schools to also have more tents/spaces to implement social distancing, with many disapproving a shift system.

It said close to half (47 per cent of teachers and 48 per cent of proprietors) of the study participants reported that they had not received any training on how to teach and prevent COVID-19 in the classroom.

The study said about 67 per cent of teachers and 80 per cent of proprietors, would like to receive training on how to prevent the spread of the virus in the classroom.

Dr Sakyi said schools with limited resources should be provided with tents so they could promote social distancing and that back to school campaigns should not only encourage students to return but teachers as well.