Deputy Minster of Education in charge of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum says government has no plans of reopening schools anytime soon until the safety of students is assured.
Reacting to growing pressure on government to reopen public and private schools, Dr. Adutwum stated that per data available to the government it is not safe for students to be in school.
According to him, the safety of all citizens in the country is a top priority for the government and schools will be reopened when the environment in the country is deemed safe.
“We are fighting this fight based on science and facts, if the environment is not safe for students to be in school, then they cannot be in school. I don’t want us to stampede those who are leading the fight but rather ask them, when the environment is safe based on the signs, the facts and the data. Please tell us to go to school and we would gladly do,” he explained.
In an interview on Citi TV’s Point of View, the Deputy Minister said the closure of schools was part of government’s safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus in schools, a decision he says will still be enforced until science and data proves otherwise.
He also disclosed that efforts are being made to ensure that student loan beneficiaries are paid their due funds.
‘I know that the Student loan trust fund has paid some students, so have been paid, others have not been paid, I contacted the COO and he explained that it was due to the lockdown and now that they are back, those who have not been paid will be attended to.”
On March 15, 2020, President Akufo-Addo ordered the closure of all public and private schools in the country to help prevent coronvairus infections and spread in schools.
“All Universities, Senior High Schools, and basic schools, i.e. public and private schools, will be closed Monday, 16th March 2020, till further notice. The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, has been tasked to roll out distance learning programmes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Ghana has reached 2,074 with 17 deaths and a total of 212 recoveries.
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Story by: Isaac Dadzie | www.universnewsroom.com