The Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Education, David Oppong has said a shift system will be rolled out in Basic and Junior High Schools (JHS) with a high student population.

This is to reduce the number of students per class in order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

According to the Metro Directorate, the decision has been discussed with the Regional Managers and Headteachers of those schools who will also discuss it with parents.

Speaking in an interview with Class FM’s Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Elisha Adarkwah on the sidelines of a tour of some schools in the Kumasi Metropolis with the Kumasi Mayor, Osei Assibey Antwi, on ‘My first day at school,’ the Metro Directorate indicated that the COVID-19 protocols were being adhered to in the schools visited.

“From the schools that we visited, parents have done well, they have provided the kids with nose mask. We went around and we realised that all the children were wearing nose mask. That is a plus for parents, the schools that we visited we also realised that sanitisers, tissue paper everything was in place.

“We are yet to take full delivery of items from the Central government, but so far, the little that we have in our stores, we have given them to the schools, so right now, they’re making do with those items, whilst we await that of the Central government."

Mr. Oppong also urged parents whose children are pregnant to send them to school.

“For Kumasi Metro, we’ve asked the headteachers to furnish us with the figures on children who are pregnant and are in school.”

He stressed that being pregnant does not mean that their education should be truncated at the level.

He noted that: “Officers have gone to the schools, and we’re looking at where the enrolment is too large, we intend running shift in those schools.”

He further appealed to parents not to send their wards to schools that are already populated, but rather find schools with a low student population for their wards.