Covid-19: Stay Home If You're Unwell – Education Ministry To Students

Final year students who are unable to resume classes due to ill health have been asked to use online and other digital platforms to prepare for their exams, says the Education Ministry.

The sector ministry has asked students who are unwell or have health conditions not to resume classes when schools reopen later this month.

Concerns have been raised as to how these students will prepare for their final exams.

Addressing these concerns, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Education Ministry, Vincent Ekow Essafuah said, “It is the responsibility of the parents to take care of their kids. If you suspect a case of fever, malaria, or any kind of sickness, it is of your own interest not to send your child to school because you may not know what the cause may be. So it is important that parents understand that they must make sure they feel safe before they can send them to school. We are not in normal times.”

“However, the online classes are still ongoing. So what was available for them before the reopening of schools should still be used. But we cannot take care of the health situations of the kids while they are home. It is the sole responsibility of the parents. However, if they are in school, then teachers, who serve as loco parents, will now have to report the issue to any of the health directorates around,” he added.

Background

Schools in the country were ordered to shut down after a directive from the President, Nana Akufo-Addo on March 15, 2020, as part of measures to stop the further spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The President, however, on Sunday, May 31, 2020, reopened schools for only final year students to prepare and enable them to take their final examinations.

On the back of this, the Education Minister outlined some guidelines for reopening schools following the easing of restrictions on academic activities for final year students while addressing the press on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Guidelines for school reopening

For Junior High Schools:

• Re-opening on Monday, June 29, 2020
• Final Year Students (JHS 3) only
• Eleven Weeks of Academic work and then one week for BECE
• All classes to be split – No more than 30 students in a class
• Classes will be from 9 am to 1 pm each day (Reduced School Day)
• No breaks outside the classroom
• Schools will have enhanced daily health protocols
• Schools will be unavailable for religious activities
• No sports or sporting events

For Senior High Schools:

• Re-opening on Monday, June 22, 2020
• Final year students (SHS 3) and SHS 2 Gold Track only
• Six weeks of academic work then five weeks for WASSCE
• All classes to be split – No more than 25 students in a class
• All day students in Boarding Schools will be in boarding
• Day schools will have enhanced daily health protocols
• Dining will be in batches in boarding schools
• No visitors allowed
• Schools are unavailable for religious activities
• No sports and sporting events

For Tertiary institutions:

• Re-opening on Monday, June 15, 2020
• Final year students only
• Six weeks of academic work and four weeks for exams
• Split all classes
• Private tertiary institutions are to provide to NCTE
• Number of Staff
• Number of Final Year Students
• All Non-MoE educational institutions are also expected to re-open on Monday, June 15, 2020
• Foreign Students who are outside the country and are identified will be allowed to return granted their country will allow them exit.

---citinewsroom