Covid-19: PTA calls for closure of schools

The National Council of Parents Teachers Association (NCPTA) has called on government to consider closing down all reopened Senior High Schools (SHS) to prevent further spread of the Covid -19 pandemic.
This comes after quite a number of students of Accra Girls’ Senior High School and other Senior High Schools tested positive for coronavirus.
Following the development, some unions including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) have called on government to close down schools.
A statement signed by the National President for The National Council of Parents Teachers Association (NCPTA), Alex Danso, said the call for the immediate closure of schools is as a result of close monitoring of the cases in the Schools.
According to the statement, in the current circumstances, the children are psychologically unstable and would therefore not be of sound mind to write the WASSCE and BECE examination and come out successfully.
The NCPTA is calling on government to postponed the WASSCE and BECE examinations until the situation is brought under control.
 
Read full statement below:
 
APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT TO SEND STUDENTS CURRENTLY IN SCHOOLS HOME (JHS 3, SHS 3 AND SHS 2 GOLD TRACK)
The National Council of Parents Teachers Associations (NCPTAs) upon close monitoring of the COVID-19 situation in schools since the reopening in June, has observed the following:

1. Not all schools have received the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as promised by government.
2. The schools which have received supplies did not get full supply of the PPEs.
3. The COVID-19 safety protocols especially the social distancing and wearing of nose masks are not being adhered to by students.
4. Not enough health personnel are either stationed in or attached to many of the schools for routine surveillance due to the pandemic.
5. Inadequate space in some schools has resulted in overcrowding in dormitories defeating the purpose of the social distancing protocol.
6. Even though the initial communication to parents from Government indicated that

Day Students in boarding schools would be converted to boarders (allowed to stay in school as boarders till completion of their examinations, unfortunately, because of lack of space in some schools, Day Students continue to remain home commuting to and from school making them more susceptible to getting infected thereby increasing the probability of infecting others within the school community.

7. More worrying is the fact that despite good counsel and encouragement, most parents insist their children should be brought home.

Following the above stated concerns and lapses in the implementation of the COVID-19 safety measures, the NCPTAs’ independent checks have revealed positive cases of
COVID-19 infection among our children in the Senior High Schools corroborating same as put out in the public domain by the media.
Our fear again has to do with the voter’s registration exercise in the schools which has the tendency to compromise the safety of our children because many more people would be allowed entry into the schools. This is rather worrying as parents are barred from seeing their children for the reason of minimizing the spread of the Coronavirus to safeguard the precious lives of these young ones.
At our National Executive Consultative Meeting, we have generally concluded that:

1. In the current circumstances, the children are psychologically unstable and would therefore, not be of sound mind to write the WASSCE and BECE examinations and come out successfully. We therefore, suggest that these examinations be postponed till the situation is brought under control.
2. The schools should be closed down (all students must be sent home) immediately to avert further spreading of the Coronavirus among our children and staff.
3. In the event that students are to be sent home, parents are advised to endeavour to isolate and test their children for the 14-day period before integrating them into the larger family for the sake of everybody’s safety.

In view of the above life threatening situation in our schools, we appeal to government to as a matter of urgency consider parents’ plea and send our children home.
 
 
 
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