COVID-19 numbers in schools nothing serious – GES Boss

Contrary to the overwhelming concerns raised by anxious parents over the poor handling of COVID-19 cases and their accompanying measures in schools across the country, Deputy Director-General for the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Kwabena Bempah Tando says there’s nothing alarming about the cases recorded.

Since the reopening of schools for final year students to enable them to partake in their exit examinations, parents, educational stakeholders, the Minority in Parliament, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the National Council for Parent Teacher Association (PTA) have called for the closure of the schools given the increase in the number of cases being recorded in the schools.

The NDC, for instance, said a reversal of the reopening of schools would be the only way to express the government’s commitment of not endangering the lives of students and staff as promised.

Some have also called for the mass testing of students as an additional infection management protocol.

Although some guidelines have been outlined to stem the spread, these groups say they are not completely enthused about existing situations in the schools hence, students should be allowed to return home in a bid to safeguard them against the virus.

But Dr Kwabena Bempah Tando in an interview with 3FM said, “We are now working within a health area. The Health professionals are telling us that we are within a a safe zone. We rely on their advise”.

According to him, the Ghana Education Service (GES) is working with Health experts and will decide to close the schools down only when they advise that such a decision should be taken.