General News of Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Source: GNA

Reopening of schools: Students express readiness for academic activities

File photo: Schools are set to reopen beginning Friday, January 15, 2020 File photo: Schools are set to reopen beginning Friday, January 15, 2020

Some students in Accra, have expressed excitement about the reopening of schools amid COVID-19 expressing their readiness to resume academic work.

President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo announced during his 21st State of the Nation's Address on Sunday, January 3, 2021, that students at all levels will resume school, following consultations with various stakeholders.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), some students expressed their readiness for school, indicating that they had missed lessons during the closure of schools to contain the spread of the virus.

Elorm Deborah Djayuri, a Junior High School (JHS) student, said, “I'm happy that I will soon return to school because I've stayed home for a long time. Last year, throughout the lockdown period, I stayed home till October when the President announced that we were going to return to school to complete our second term”.

Ernestina Mensah, a continuing Senior High School (SHS) student said though she was happy of going back to school, she prayed that students would observe COVID-19 protocols strictly in view of the country recording increasing number of cases.

Eric Sekyi, a tertiary student, applauded the decision of government to reopen schools, saying, “I am a final year student and I want to complete the academic year quickly”.

Speaking about the COVID-19 pandemic and overcrowding in classes, Sekyi, said “It depends on the individual. If we're all able to abide by the laid down protocols, I think we will be cool. My only fear is that some people wouldn't adhere to them”.

He, therefore, appealed to management of schools to enforce strict observation of the safety protocols by all.

All schools from kindergarten, primary to Junior High School are to go back to school on January 15, 2021.

Senior High School form one students and form two Gold track students are to start lessons from March 10, with all form one students on singletrack.

Senior High School forms two green track and three students will return to school on January 18, 2021.

Tertiary students resumed school on January 09, 2021, after nine months of COVID-19 shutdown.