Playing threatens efforts to prevent Coronavirus spread in basic schools

As the government struggles to flatten the nation’s Coronavirus curve and prevent new infections, activities of many school children in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital threaten to thwart the national efforts.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) investigations revealed many school children in the Municipality removed their nose masks, while they played around with their mates during school hours.

During a visit to some basic schools in the Municipality on Tuesday, most of the children sighted on school compounds were not wearing their nose masks as they went around playing with their mates.

Some of the schools visited around 1300 hours and 1400 hours included the Nyamaa, St Patrick’s, Boahenkorkor and the Sunyani Senior High Model Primary and Junior High Schools.

Though some school teachers were sighted around, they seemed unconcerned, while the unmasked school children played around.

Some parents sighted by the GNA in one the schools noted the unpleasant situation, if not checked could trigger the spread of the disease.

A middle-aged male parent told the GNA on condition of anonymity, while he watched the school children play around without their nose masks that the government had a lot to do to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the country.

“I just came to pick my child from school and noticed this spectacle. These children could easily infect each other with the virus and this is rather unfortunate. My hope is only in God,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the GNA gathered educational heads in those schools had ordered their private security officers not to allow students, pupils, teachers and visitors without nose masks to enter the school compounds.

During the visits, the security officers were strictly adhering to the COVID-19 protocols as they checked body temperatures of all visitors including teachers and students, and ensured everybody was in the nose or face masks as well.