Most Junior High Schools (JHS) in the Northern Region that re-opened on Monday for final years students did not have personal protective equipment (PPE) for their students, teaching and non-teaching staff to keep them safe in line with the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Headteachers, who did not want to be named, told the GNA that they were yet to be supplied with veronica buckets, face masks, hand sanitizers amongst other PPE.

At Yendi Girls JHS, 19 students out of a total of 23 had reported to school, but were asked to go home because of the lack of PPE.

About 90 per cent of students of the Seventh Day Adventist JHS and Abatey JHS, both in the Yendi Municipality, had reported but did not have the PPE, forcing some of the students to use their handkerchiefs as face masks.

None of the students of Presby JHS, Kukuo AME Zion, OLA R/C JHS, Kobilmahagu Sobriya Islamic JHS, Monawara JHS and Jakarayili Sadafat JHS in the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnarigu Municipality was wearing face masks neither did they have water to practise regular hygiene.

The story was not different at the Gushegu Municipality as the Gushegu M/A JHS, Gushegu Demonstration JHS, Gushegu Nasiria JHS and Gushegu Girls JHS also did not have the PPE and the students, who reported, only cleaned the schools’ premises and went back home.

Meanwhile, a source at the Regional Directorate of Education told the GNA that the PPE would arrive in the region later on Monday for distribution to the schools in the region.

All JHS re-opened across the country on Monday, June 29, 2020 for final year students to prepare to write their final examinations later this year.