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Ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged heads of basic schools throughout the country to ensure that the COVID-19 safety protocols are religiously adhered to by all students when schools resume next week.
“It is a big task you have, apart from doing the teaching which is your normal activity. Because of the pandemic, you are now going to act as paramedics to make sure that the children are also safe,” he said at a meeting with the heads of basic schools at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country on March 12, the government closed down all educational institutions as part of measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Final year students in Junior High School (JHS) will resume academic activities on Monday July 29 to prepare for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). University students as well as final year and Gold Track students in Senior High Schools (SHS) have already reopened after three months.
President Akufo-Addo noted that in addition to the 531,000 students who will be going back to school to prepare for their BECE are teachers, invigilators, education supervisors, among others. This, he said, will bring the total population to nearly 900,000.
The President said the government will provide at least three reusable face mask to all the 900,000 people who will resume duty and provide the schools with sanitizers, veronica buckets, and thermometer guns.
According to him, the government aims to prevent an outbreak in the schools and appealed to the heads of the schools to make sure that there are proper social distancing, regular hand washing, and wearing of face masks to make everyone safe.
President Akufo-Addo said class sizes should not be more than 30 students and added that head teachers should ensure that children do not play during break time.
He indicated that students will be in school from 9am to 1pm.
The President of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools, Mercy Akayila Anuembee, appealed to the government to ensure timely provision of medical supplies to schools in peri-urban and rural areas to ensure that they observe the COVID-19 safety protocols.
She urged the government to motivate teachers to deliver their best and appealed to the President to continue to invest in education to secure the future of the country.
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
