Coronavirus: Education Minister sets up committee to direct reopening of schools

The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has inaugurated a 10-member committee in Accra “to deliberate and advise on modalities for the reopening of schools in the pre-tertiary subsector” across the country.

A press statement signed by the sector Minister’s press secretary, Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, indicated that the committee, which was formed on Thursday, 19 August 2020, will be made up of representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES), United Nation International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), private school sector and parents.

President Akufo-Addo, in his 15th COVID-19 address to the nation on Sunday, 16 August 2020, made known government’s intentions to consider the reopening of schools following the shutdown in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee chairman is Prof Dominic Fobih, a former Minister of Education.

He is currently the chairman of the GETFund Board of Trustees.

Dr Prempeh urged the committee to bring their expertise and experience to bear to ensure stakeholder consultations on the way forward on all relevant issues.

The committee is expected to present its report to the sector Minister on Monday, 21 September 2020 for consideration and onward approval by the President.