Coronavirus: Government to provide 10 million hand sanitisers to students – GES

The spokesperson for the Ghana Education Service (GES), Cassandra Twum-Ampofo has said that the government is set to provide 10 million hand sanitisers to students in various schools as part of measures to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Delivering his 21st address on the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, January 3, 2021, President Akufo-Addo officially announced the reopening of schools, expressing the conviction that the circumstances are rife for such a move.

President Akufo-Addo mentioned January 15, 2021, as the reopening date for basic schools.

“We are satisfied that in the current circumstances the reopening of our schools is safe. So, from 15th January our children in Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High in both private and public schools will be back in schools.

“All SHS 1 students will start class from 10th March and all the students embarking on the single track academic calendar , their seniors in SHS 2 and SHS 3 will however, return to school from 18th January.”

President Akufo-Addo further stated that students in the first year of second cycle institutions will no longer experience double track

“I must stress that SHS 3 students like SHS 1 students will no longer run the double track system,” he said.

He added “The expansion of infrastructure at the various senior high schools over the last three years has brought us this favorable position. However the double track system will still be applicable to SHS 2 students that are in it. Students in the universities and other tertiary institutions are to be in school from Saturday 9th of January.”

And ahead of the re-opening, the spokesperson for GES said the government has put in place several measures to ensure that the disease does not spread in schools.

“Several arrangements put in place, we provided PPEs most of which are still available…government will provide masks and sanitisers, the schools have also been mapped to certain health facilities. All schools have been told to have holding rooms where they will take suspected cases…,” she said on Anopa Bofo.

She further stated that the government is preparing to dispatch up to 10 million hand sanitisers and hence called on all school directors to stop charging students for the provision of PPEs.

“We will be distributing 10 million hand sanitisers so stop charging students fees for PPEs…the government will provide each student including those hand sanitisers and nose masks, at least each student will get three…,” she said.