COVID-19: Lecturer petitions Akufo-Addo to reopen basic schools

The University for Development Studies (UDS) faculty of Education, senior lecturer, Dr Ibrahim M. Gunu has called on the Akufo-Addo government to reopen basic schools in low-risk COVID-19 areas.

President Akufo-Addo in his first televised nation’s address on Sunday, March 15, 2020, directed for the closure of all schools in the country as part of measures to curb the novel coronavirus.

According to the lecturer, the continuous closure of basic schools in the country amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus could lead to a surge in early marriage, pregnancy, school dropouts and child labour particularly in Northern Ghana

Dr Ibrahim M. Gunu in his article copied to Georgeweb.org pleading to the government said: “I want to commend the government for the continuous engagement of significant stakeholders in the education sector and I suggest that government should at least reopen basic schools in low-risk areas in Ghana by September 2020”.

“We need to know that children cannot wait for that long. Children learn less and lose the habit of learning. In some parts of Ghana, if schools are not reopened, students may give up their studies and start work or get married. Children are more likely going to suffer abuse, malnutrition and poor mental health. Parents who have nowhere to drop their children struggle to go to work.” he added.

The lecture suggested for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to liaise with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to enforce strict adherence of the COVID-19 preventive protocols in school to slow the spread of the locally transmitted coronavirus pandemic.

He further proposed for the government to promote students in grades 1-8 (Primary 1 to JHS2) to the next grade without taking an examination.

“Remedial measures should be put in place to support the students and the government should avoid a situation where the entire academic year will be cancelled”, Dr Ibrahim M. Gunu suggested.

Source: Georgeweb.org