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1,729 basic schools in Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions undergo disinfection
In an effort to protect pupils in basic schools against the coronavirus disease, Zoomlion Ghana Limited on Monday, begun disinfecting both public and private basic schools in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.
The exercise, which will last for about a week, will cover 1,729 basic schools in the three regions.
Speaking to journalists, the Regional Director of Education, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, Dr Peter Attefuah, urged parents to allay the fears of their children that when they return to school they would contract COVID-19.
He assured that measures were in place to protect the students and pupils against the COVID-19 attack.
With observation of social and physical distancing, he said, each SHS class would accommodate a maximum of 25 students.
In this regard, Dr Attefuah advised parents to provide their children with all that they would need on campus, insisting that “visitors would not be allowed for the period that they will be on campus till they finish writing their exit final paper.”
He also charged parents to buy nose masks in addition to the three the government would be giving to every student.
He, therefore, implored the students to comply with all the COVID-19 safety protocols.
At Nkwabeng, a suburb of Sunyani in the Bono Region, which was the first port of call, a crew of six Zoomlion field officers with knapsack sprayers disinfected the Boanhen Korko A/B Presby Model, a cluster of Presbyterian schools.
And here classrooms from kindergartens (KGs), lower primary and the JHSs were all disinfected.
For his part, the Regional Manager of Presbyterian Schools for the three regions – Mr Eugene Laryea – announced that the schools had already put measures in place to protect their pupils, noting that they had all bought “Veronica buckets, soaps and also alcohol-based hand sanitisers which would be made available to the pupils when they resume.”
According to him, the schools also formed task-forces whose responsibility would be to enforce the COVID-19 protocols amongst the pupils.
He, therefore, urged parents to ensure that they prepare food for their children to bring along when they were coming to school.
The Writer Bureau Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Robert Kwaku Adjei, revealed that the disinfection of about 65 senior high schools (SHSs) in the three regions (Bono, Bono East and Ahafo) would start today.
He said already his outfit had disinfected 30 tertiary institutions in the three regions.
Source: Ghanaian Times
AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has broken ground on a modern 1,500-seater multipurpose assembly hall and a secured main gatehouse for New Edubiase Senior High School, in the Adansi South District.
The project, being executed by local contractor AA Engineering and Construction, is expected to be completed within 17 months and forms part of the Mine’s 10-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) — a strategic framework for delivering sustainable development in its host communities.
Beyond the expansive assembly hall, the facility will house a fully integrated administrative complex featuring a dedicated sound room, a 16-seater staff eatery, and suites for the Headmaster and Assistant Headmaster, a bursar’s office, an 18-seater conference room, a 24-seater staff common room, six faculty office spaces and ancillary stores and washrooms.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the Mine’s Director of Sustainability Management, Edmund Oduro Agyei, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving educational outcomes in host communities through impactful and sustainable investments.
The Edubiasehene, Guahyia Oduropanin Birikorang, commended the Mine for the investment, saying the project demonstrated that the company’s development agenda extended well beyond its immediate operational areas.
The Headmaster of New Edubiase SHS, Mr Christopher Appiah Mensah, described the intervention as timely and transformative, noting it would address longstanding infrastructure deficits, improve conditions for teaching and learning, and create adequate space for academic and social gatherings.
“This will greatly enhance administrative efficiency and improve the overall welfare of both staff and students,” he said.
The facility is also expected to boost the school’s capacity to host national examinations and major events, and strengthen its standing as a centre of academic excellence within the district.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Stakeholders have been urged to help raise awareness and eliminate the stigma often associated with clubfoot, a treatable condition which occurs in children.
Parents are to seek early treatment for the condition while policymakers strengthen support for early detection, disability inclusion, and child health services in the country.
Clubfoot is a condition present at birth in which one or both feet are twisted inward and downward. If left untreated, experts say a child may face lifelong challenges with walking, which could affect education, employment, and social inclusion.
In Ghana, an estimated 1,000 babies are said to be born with clubfoot every year.
In commemoration of the World Clubfoot Day, marked on June 3 every year, stakeholders create awareness about the condition and, among other things, celebrate the dedication of health professionals who ensure children receive treatment.
In a release copied to the Ghana News Agency, Nana Afua Adutwumwaa Adjetey, Programme Manager, Ghana Clubfoot Programme, noted that many families were unaware of the free treatment available for the condition in Ghana. 
She observed that the lack of awareness continued to delay treatment for children who could have received prompt and life-changing care at no cost.
Treatment, she said, was provided free of charge for children under age five at Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG–Hope Walks) partner clinics across the country.
More than 9,000 children born with clubfoot had received treatment and care through the programme over the past 18 years.
“The treatment follows the internationally recognised Ponseti Method, which uses a series of gentle casts to gradually correct the position of the foot, followed by a brace to maintain correction and prevent relapse. When treatment begins early, success rates are extremely high,” Madam Adjetey explained.
“For many children, the journey begins with a health worker who identifies clubfoot at birth and makes a referral. A few moments of observation can change the course of a child’s life forever.”
“Clubfoot is not a curse; it is not caused by wrongdoing…it is a medical condition that can be treated successfully. Families should never feel ashamed to seek help.”
The Programme Manager said children born with the condition deserved equal opportunities, dignity, and inclusion, and called on communities to support parents rather than “judge them.” -GNA
