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Teachers won’t go back to classrooms unless…- GNAT
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says its members will not go back to the classroom to teach unless government accede to their proposals of ensuring maximum safety of staff and learners in line with COVID-19 protocols.
The proposals include: the government ensuring a mandatory testing of all teachers and learners to ascertain their status, provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Veronica handwashing buckets, alcohol-based hand sanitisers and regular flow of water for all schools in the country.
The President of GNAT, Ms Philippa Larsen said this at the launch of the association’s impact assessment of COVID-19 on the education sector in Ghana.
The 30-page assessment booklet evaluates the potential impact of the pandemic and proposes pragmatic solutions which could help the government and the Ministry of Education to build the required resilience to the pandemic.
Ms Larsen said the association has also recommended adequate numbers of health personnel to be provided in the schools to handle the health needs of teachers and learners.
She said the safety of teachers and students must be clearly outlined by the government before taking any decision to reopen schools amidst the global pandemic.
Although the association is not against the reopening of schools, she said government must satisfy their request.
Ms Larsen explained that the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation and United Nations and other international organisations had examined strategies for handling education in times of crisis in countries such as Ghana.
For instance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that the current classroom arrangements which are inconsistent with two metres should be addressed, she said.
The Deputy General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Joshua Ansah said the union had also researched into COVID-19 and its impact on businesses and urged the government to collaborate with the teacher unions for a collective way forward towards the reopening of schools.
This, he said would help build a consensus to curtail the spread of the virus in schools.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
