Correspondence from Eastern Region

A number of Basic Schools in the New Juaben South Municipality have exhibited consciousness about the increasing spread of COVID-19 and have put in place necessary protocols against the virus.

Ghanaweb on Monday made a visit to some of the Basic Schools in the Municipality to observe how they were receiving their pupils with school reopening.

When our reporter visited the SDA Basic School at Adweso, teachers were strict on the wearing of face masks by all pupils. Veronica buckets filled with water and liquid soap including tissue papers were also well-positioned for use.

It was also observed that the school had placed a hand sanitizer by its attendance book ensuring that teachers sanitized their hands before and after writing their names.

Ghanaweb again visited the St. Dominic A&B Basic School where school authorities had also ensured the pupils adhered to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The safety protocols were also highly observed at the Koforidua Basic School at Simpoamiensa-Apenkwa.

One could see a clear social distancing, nose mask-wearing and provision of Veronica buckets and apparatus to encourage handwashing in the school.

However, when Ghanaweb got to the Adweso Trinity Presbyterian Model School, which is the best public school in the Municipality in terms of academics, Ghanaweb observed that the size of the classrooms in the school would not ensure the adherence to the safety protocols.

The about 18 classrooms were hugely packed with students such that three pupils had to share one desk.

When enquired, it was disclosed that one class accommodates about 50 pupils.
To add salt to injury, most of these pupils in the congested classrooms did not have their nose masks on.

Meanwhile, Ghanaweb observed that hand washing materials were adequately provided in that said school.

It was generally observed in all the schools that COVID-19 education flyers or posters had been posted on the school notice boards as well as on most classroom doors to remind pupils about the deadly virus.

Also, all the schools had available at least two thermometer guns, even though Mile 50 M/A Basic school had one for each class.

In almost all the schools visited, it was observed that Ghana Health Service had dispatched health officers into the schools to ensure adherence to the COVID-19 protocols by both teachers and students