'Success of reopening schools to determine government's next line of action'

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the success or failure of the partial reopening of schools will inform government’s next line of action in the educational sector.

President Akufo-Addo on May 31, 2020, announced the reopening of schools for final year students beginning with the Universities.

At a meeting with Vice Chancellors of public and private Universities at the Jubilee House, Nana Akufo-Addo said the partial reopening of schools is strategic in determining government’s policy going forward.

“It is you and the level of the tertiary system who will give an example to the country. You are the apogee of the educational ladder and it only makes sense that you should be the ones to give a good example to the country and if it succeeds and it works, then the country too will be reassured that we can begin to step up with some confidence to the future, that beckons, to all of us.”

Schools in the country were ordered to shut down after a directive from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, as part of measures to stop the further spread of the Coronavirus disease [COVID-19] in the country.

The President, however, reopened schools for only final year students to prepare and enable them to take their final examinations.

According to the Minister for Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, final year SHS students will be in school on Monday, June 22, 2020, while final year JHS students will resume on Monday, June 29, 2020.

Universities will also reopen for final year students on June 15, 2020.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has set up a special taskforce to ensure the safe re-opening of schools for final year students.

Among other duties, the taskforce will oversee the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and also ensure strict enforcement of COVID-19 safety protocols.

Ghana’s COVID-19 cases currently stand at 10,358 with 48 deaths and 3,824 recoveries as at Thursday, June 11, 2020.