Tema Metro Education Directorate engages stakeholder on coronavirus

The Tema Metro Education Directorate has created a platform to engage stakeholders in education to fight against the spread of COVID-19 in schools within the Metropolis.

Mrs Bernice Ofori, Metro Educational Director during the engagement outlined guidelines to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus and how to promote a safe and healthy environment in schools in the metropolis.

She noted that the fundamental principle was to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of learners, teaching, and non-teaching staff in the school.

Mrs Ofori advised teaching and non-teaching staff, pupils, and students to adhere to the COVID-19 as contained in the World Health Organisation and the Ghana Health Service.

According to the Director, the schools have been disinfected and all other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) essential for a safe educational environment has been provided, but the individual must obey the rules and regulations.

“We have provided the schools with face masks and face shields, hand washing facilities. We are encouraging the schools to split the classes to avoid overcrowding,” she noted.

She warned against mass gatherings on the school premises, and granting access to the usage of school facilities by externals groups and visitors; “this should be prohibited under the current new normal conditions”.

Mrs Ofori encouraged School Heads to strictly observe the checking and recording of temperatures on daily basis, enforce the “No Nose Mask: No Entry Policy” and also provide adequate handwashing facilities to safeguard pupils and students’ safety.

She also called on Authorities at Boarding Schools to conduct periodic medical screenings for the cooks, and pantry staff as well as food vendors who operate from school premises.

She urged parents to also equip their wards with the necessary PPEs; food and snacks to minimize their movements in and out of the school premises during class period.

Mrs Ofori said the Ghana Health Service, through its Health Promotion Division, will lead an institutional health education training to empower SHEP coordinators to conduct regular training for teachers and learners on personal hygiene and adherence to safety protocols.