Both private and public schools throughout the country on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 observed the “My First Day at School” programme to welcome pupils who are going to school for the first time or those being promoted from KG to a higher level after staying home since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Accra, a team from the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service in collaboration with Representatives of UNICEF visited some schools to interact with pupils and school authorities.
They also went to present PPE’s and educational materials to the students and to oversee how the students and teachers were adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols.
The team first visited the Nima Cluster of Schools where the GES Directors interacted with the pupils and donated educational materials packed in a file including slates, pencils, erasers, colours, hand sanitizers and as well some face masks, water sanitation equipment and thermometer guns.
At the Nima Cluster of Schools, the authorities confirmed massive turnout on the parts of children.
The school had put in place veronica buckets and ensured that a security man checked the temperatures of all students, teachers, non-teaching staff and as well parents who brought in their children.
Headmistress of the Nima 1 Basic School, Edna Bani, thanked the GES and UNICEF for the support given to them.
The Team also moved to the Mamobi Prisons Basic School, where they also donated the same items to the children.
It was also noticed that the pupils were in their facemasks and were observing the social distancing in their sitting positions in their classrooms.
The team ended the tour at the Bethany Methodist Christian Basic School, Dzorwulu where the pupils were also given the educational kits.
The Deputy Director General in charge of Management Services at GES, Mr Anthony Boateng, who observed the massive turnout by the students expressed how elated the GES was to see children happy going back to school in a safer environment.
He noted that government’s PPEs had not reached all the schools, urging all parents to provide their children with the PPEs until government is able to supply all schools.
Mr Boateng, however, stated that by the end of this week, the PPEs will reach all schools.
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, advised teachers to ensure that students adhere to the covid-19 safety protocols while in their care.
The Director of Pre-tertiary at the Ministry of Education, Catherine Appiah- Pinkrah also expressed excitement over the attendance of the students and how they were adhering to the safety protocols.
She said the Ministry will continue to visit the schools to ensure that students adhere to the safety protocols and provide the necessary support to the schools.
For her part, the Representative of UNICEF in Ghana, Anne-Claire Dufay noticed how excited the students are to be back in school.
Presenting the items, she underscored the need to support children have safe environment as they go back to school and therefore pledged UNICEF’s support to the Ghana government in the fight against the coronavirus disease.
The Head Mistress of the Bethany Methodist Christian Basic School, Dzorwulu, Mrs Doris Mpere-Gyekye expressed hope that parents will help them in ensuring the safety of students both at school and home, adding that without the help of the parents, the school will not be able what is expected.
She also admitted that all the students came in their numbers and in masks.
However, she said the school had to turn away new admissions because it does not have the facility to admit new students amidst the covid-19 pandemic.
She also thanked the GES and UNICEF, and urged the public to support the school with PPEs, adding that government alone cannot support them.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
