Don’t be surprised if coronavirus cases rise as a result of re-opening schools – Educationist

In his 12th address to the nation, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assured Ghanaians that ahead of the reopening of senior high schools, students will be safe.

He said, “I take this opportunity to assure all parents and guardians that the Government is determined to protect the lives of the 800,000 students, teachers, and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to school from tomorrow. I will be the last person to put the lives of the ‘Akufo-Addo graduates’ at risk”.

However, Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Dr Ahmed Jinapor, has said that Ghanaians should not be surprised if Ghana records new cases in the schools as this is inevitable.

“We shouldn’t be surprised that we will start getting cases from the schools because people will be moving from different locations to converge at a place. They will be eating in the same dining hall, sleeping in the same dormitories. The likelihood of people getting the virus is very high”.

He, however, stated that our educational facilities cannot be closed forever. “Notwithstanding, do we think that our schools should be shut down in perpetuity? I don’t think so”, he added.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo addressed the country for the 12th time on the easing of Coronavirus related restrictions.

The President’s address among other things touched on measures put in place ahead of the re-opening of Senior High Schools (SHS) for final year and Gold track students on Monday, June 22, 2020.

Meanwhile, the Accra Technical University – formerly known as Accra Poly – has recorded its first COVID-19 case, authorities announced to students on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

The affected patient is a national service person at one of the academic departments, a circular to the university community said.