Schools will not be available for religious activities after re-opening - Education Minister

Minister for Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, says religious groups will not be allowed to use school facilities for their operations as educational institutions prepares to open partly.

His statement forms part of the ministry’s set protocols to be observed as the country prepares to open for schools to run.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday June 2, 2020, the education minister said schools will not be made available for religious activities when reopened.

“When schools reopen, it will not be available for religious activities and it is simple. We don’t want too many interactions that can bring in and take out the virus. We want the situation where contact tracing will be easy to carry out.”

“We want to keep it slim, so only teachers and students will be allowed to be in schools,” he added.

On Senior High Schools re-opening, the minister expressed that parents will not be allowed to visit their wards during the stay in period for final year students.

He also indicated that Junior High Schools will operate a shorter school day to limit playground activities. “The students will go to school at 9am and close at 1pm,” he noted.

Schools in Ghana will reopen partly as the country gradually begins to reopen following a weeks-long shut down aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

In a televised address on May 21, 2020, Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced various measures aimed at easing restrictions.

He said schools will reopen their doors to final year students scheduled to take their last exams this year.

“Prior to the opening of schools and universities, the Ministry of Education, and the heads of public and private educational institutions, will fumigate and disinfect their institutions. Each student, teacher, and non-teaching staff will be provided with re-usable face masks by the Ministry of Education”

For the avoidance of doubt, all other educational facilities, private and public, for non-final year students, will remain closed,” said President Akufo-Addo.