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Re-opening of SHSs on Monday, June 22 Govt rolls out COVID-19 safety protocols …as President tasks CHASS to ensure strict adherence
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) to ensure that the coronavirus (COVID-19) safety protocols are strictly adhered to when schools resume on Monday, June 22, 2020
In a meeting with the members of CHASS at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday, President Akufo-Addo stressed the need for the heads of the schools to ensure that students, teachers and non-teaching staff wear facemasks, observe social distancing protocols and practise good hygiene.
Following the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, school activities in all educational institutions across the country were suspended on March 16, 2020.
The government has lifted the ban and has asked final year students in the universities, senior and junior high schools to return to school and complete their academic education, while observing the safety protocols.
Already university students have resumed lectures. Final year students in the lower educational institutions are expected to go back to school on Monday.
In all, about 800,000 people comprising students, teachers, and non-teaching staff are expected in school from Monday. The government has taken a decision to supply 2.4 million facemasks to the various schools.
“We need to do whatever we can to ensure the pandemic does not undermine the prospect of students,” he said, adding, “it’s not going to be easy because you are going to operate in different circumstances.”
President Akufo-Addo said the government would not relent on its efforts to fight against the COVID-19 but added that “there is a need to find a way to open up societies and get back to normal.”
The Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, said by Sunday, all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) would have been distributed to the various schools.
In the five northern regions, he said distribution will be done by the Ghana Airforce, and added that distribution in the other regions will be done through “trucking system”.
The Senior Minister said the zones established by the Ministry of Education in its administration of education in the country will be used for the distribution of the PPEs.
“There are five categories of beneficiaries of these PPEs. All students, teaching staff, non-teaching staff, all invigilators, are going to be beneficiaries of the PPEs. Meaning we are going to include the district education officers and all the people who are going to be responsible for administering education and examinations,” he said.
Mr Osafo-Maafo said nobody in the education system will be left out in the distribution of the PPEs.
Source: Ghanaian Times
Madam Sandra Seyram Kpedor, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Anloga in the Volta Region, has emphasised the importance of parental involvement in children’s education, stating that education is free, but parents need to do more to support their children.
She said parents, teachers, and students must be involved in addressing the challenges facing the district’s education sector, particularly the poor Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
Madam Kpedor outlined some key roles parents should play to promote their children’s education, including providing a conducive learning environment, monitoring their children’s progress, and supporting teachers.
The DCE highlighted some challenges the district faced such as inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of teachers, which have also contributed to the poor BECE results and called on well-to-do parent to help solve the situation through and other supports.
To address the issues, she also announced that plans have been taken to utilise the district’s common fund to implement educational projects, such as constructing school blocks and teachers’ bungalows at Sodzi community, and 2-unit classroom blocks each at Akplorwutorkor and Tegbi-Afedome respectively, among others.
Madam Kpedor also noted that her office had earlier notified the Ministry of Education to deploy more teachers to the area to improve teaching and learning, and encouraged students to work hard and strive for excellence, and work beyond their limit to succeed.
“To my wonderful and beautiful girls, you have to know it clear that women and girls have equal opportunities to compete with men for greater achievements,” she indicated.
The DCE cited her own achievement as a testament to the fact that women can excel in leadership positions, alongside Vice President Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and stressed that girls were no longer limited to domestic roles but can pursue their dreams and become leaders.
Additionally, she mentioned that a meeting was held earlier with assembly members, and other stakeholders to address the district’s educational challenges and improve academic performance.
She promised that the district’s education oversight committee and stakeholders would work together to address the challenges and improve the district’s BECE results and called for parental involvement and support to boost the district’s education sector for children to chase their dreams to become future leaders for the success of the district and the nation.
She urged parents not to leave everything to the government but rather help in the provision of some necessary materials such as textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, food, and guidance to children for the successes of young learners. –GNA
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The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
