Four pre-tertiary education unions in Ghana have unanimously demanded the closure of schools to avert the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
The four unions namely, the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union, National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) in a joint statement said the conditionality’s for the re-opening of the schools are “either limited or just not there”.
“Our children are the prey, the target our children are on the receiving end, while such critical bodies as the Ministry of Finance, the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Ltd (BOST) the Ghana Grid Company Ltd (GridCo) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) among others, are either on partial or total lockdown”.
A statement jointly signed by leaders of the Teacher Unions said “For how long can we stand and look, while our children are consigned to imminent death. We cannot stand any unwarranted catastrophe. Our children are our future, and we must protect them.”
In a related development, the Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, has called on the Government to suspend this year’s final examinations to be conducted for both Senior and Junior High schools by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
He is “worried” over the increasing reports of COVID-19 cases being recorded in some schools, describing it as a “tragedy”.
In an interview with Newswatchgh.com on Sunday, July 12, the Archbishop said though it is important for students to prepare for their final exams, concerns of COVID-19 should force a radical move from government to suspend the exams until further notice.
Meanwhile, The Ghana Education Service (GES) has restated its resolve to go ahead with this year’s West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Service also said adequate safety measures were in place in all schools to contain the spread of COVID-19 and that there was no reason to recall students.
Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, the Director-General of the GES said based on “experts’ advice”, and measures instituted to contain the spread of the virus in schools, the Service would organize the examinations as planned.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
