President Akufo-Addo has confirmed that school in Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High, in both private and public schools, will be returning back to school on January 15, 2021.
According to him, all SHS 1 students will start classes from 10th March, with all students embarking on a single-track academic calendar.
Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, President Akufo-Addo said "Their seniors in SHS 2 and SHS 3 will, however, return to school from 18th January. I must stress that SHS 3 students in all schools, like SHS 1 students, will no longer run the double track system. The expansion of infrastructure at the various senior high schools, over the last three (3) years, has brought us to this favourable situation"
He further explained the double track system will still be applicable to SHS 2 students in schools that are employing it adding students in universities and other tertiary institutions are to be in school from Saturday, 9th January.
"Prior to their return to school, Government, through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, will ensure that all institutions, public and private, are fumigated and disinfected. Schools and institutions, with their own hospitals and clinics, will be equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment, and have isolation centres to deal with any positive cases. All other school and institutions, without their own clinics and hospitals, have been mapped to health facilities. There will be, for now, no mass gatherings and no sporting activities. However, religious activities for students at school, under the new protocols, will be permitted" he added.
President Akufo-Addo also hinted social distancing and the wearing of face masks must become the norm in the schools.
Touching on the requisite provisions have been made to ensure that students at all levels of the education ladder, he states that it ceive the minimum number of contact hours upon their return to school.
"To facilitate the safety of students, Government, through the Ministry of Education, will provide face masks, ‘Veronica’ buckets, hand sanitisers, liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, and thermometer guns for the safe re-opening of the schools. The Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service will from Monday, 4th January, commence a series of sensitisation campaigns to help prepare, inform and educate guardians, students and the public on further modalities associated with the re-openings" he mentioned.
President Akufo-Addo also used the occasion to assure all parents and guardians that Government is determined to protect the lives of all students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to school.
The Akufo-Addo government says it bears repeating that everyone of them must adhere strictly to the protocols to protect themselves and others.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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