Unhappy with the enrolment recorded in the public schools in the Tema Metropolis on the resumption day, the Municipal Directorate of Ghana Education Service (GES) has hinted of embarking on a ‘Back To School’ campaign.
Schools officially opened nationwide on Monday, January 18, 2021 after the emergence and devastation of Covid-19 on the country and its citizens in March 2020 forced the government to close down religious places of worship and educational institutions among others.
The scare of the new wave of COVID-19 variant has resulted in some parents expressing their reluctance in allowing their wards to resume school, despite the announcement by President Akufo-Addo that all schools should reopen.
The President cautioned all to, at all times, ensure the adherence to the health protocols, with the wearing of nose masks becoming mandatory.
With these assuring words from the President that personal protective equipment have been supplied to all schools to safeguard pupils and students as they resume school, Mrs Bernice Ofori, Education Director for the Tema Metropolis, lamented that enrolment in some public primary schools she toured were low.
Mrs Ofori and Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Shehu, Tema Metropolis Coordinating Director and a section of the media visited three public primary schools to officially welcome first timers to Kindergarten 1 and Basic 1, which have been dubbed: ‘My First Day At School’.
The three schools the team visited were Oninku Drive Primary School, Community One in Tema East, Republic Road Primary School and Rahmaniyya Basic School in Communities 4 and 11 respectively, in Tema Central.
In all the schools visited, none of them recorded a total of 40 ‘My First Day At School’ comers for the two classes, which Mrs Ofori explained was not good news for the Metropolis that had continued to churn out scholars.
“The attendance is not encouraging, though I cannot dispute the fear most parents might be entertaining as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“The Tema Metropolis Education Directorate will have to start a ‘Back To School’ campaign to encourage parents to send their wards to school,” she told the media at Rahmaniyya Basic School, where the team ended the tour.
Mrs Ofori urged parents to allow their pupils come to school, since the Ghana Education Service and Ghana Health Service have assigned health personnel to the schools.
“Moreover, our teachers have undergone some health training and have been cautioned to quickly inform a qualified health personnel assigned to the school when a pupil complains of any illness. No teacher must behave like a professional health personnel by prescribing medications to any pupil.
“The schools have been supplied Veronica buckets, tissues, nose masks and sanitisers and we hope that all the necessary protocols would be observed as we all work hard to fight the Coronavirus pandemic.”
Turning her attention to adolescent girls who are afraid of dropping out of school due to teenage pregnancy, Mrs Bernice Ofori said a Guidance and Counseling unit for female students have been opened in the schools, with SHS included, to psychologically encourage such victims to conquer their situation so they would continue with their education.
Drawing attention to the absence of social distancing in the schools as a result of lack of furniture for pupils, Felix Mensah NiiAnang-La, the MCE, told the media that some desks are ready to be supplied to some SHSs and Basic schools.
Another worrying complaint the heads of the schools raised were how their premises have become a thoroughfare and haven for ruffians who steal and damage school properties.
“The Assembly will quickly mobilise to start constructing fence walls with security gates to protect our pupils and school properties. I want to encourage the teachers and their heads to continue giving their best to the children, whose future lies in their commitment,” the MCE said.
The MCE and Mrs Ofori gladly welcomed all the pupils and teachers back to school.
The post GES to re-introduce ‘Back To School’ campaign appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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