Coronavirus: gaining grounds; students at risk as schools reopen – NDC team

The NDC technical team on COVID-19 has warned teachers and students are at risk of contracting the virus as schools reopen on June 15, 2020.

According to the team, per the data being churned out by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the virus seems to be gaining grounds in the country hence the need to take extra precaution in schools.

“In light of this evidence of increasing community spread, we wish to focus specific attention on Government’s stated position on the reopening of educational institutions to final year students in secondary and tertiary institutions. It is our view that Government should give greater consideration to the worrying trends in community spread and the self-evident challenges in managing the COVID-19 crisis as part of broader efforts to slow the rising rate of spread.

“The daily updates from GHS over the last four weeks tell a story of an expanding epidemic and rising risks in our communities. These facts do not suggest that students, teaching and non- teaching staff can avoid significant risk of exposure to the virus as the epidemic is not under control. This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged if we are to avoid any further acceleration in the rate of new cases,” the team said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellors of all public universities in the country have assured President Akufo-Addo that, contrary to some media reports, all universities will resume academic work on June 15, 2020, as ordered directed by government.

Addressing the President at the Jubilee House, when they paid a courtesy call on him, Chairman of the Vice-Chancellors of Ghana and also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ebenezer Oduro, noted that all the universities in the country will adhere to the President’s order in absolute terms.

“You gave an order, that was a Presidential order, that Universities should reopen on the 15th of June. I think somewhere last week, some of the media carried news and I am sure probably some may have gotten to you, that some universities have defied the President’s orders and are unwilling to open. Mr. President, let le assure you that that is not the case at all. All Universities are obliging to reopen and none of us is defying your orders” Professor Ebenezer Oduro stated.

“Come the 15th, that is Monday, all universities will reopen as you have directed. We believe that the orders were given in sole contest and that tells us that we need also to apply wisdom and sole level of discretion in getting the students to campus to complete their academic work,” the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana added.