Coronavirus update: Why Ghana no shutdown schools despite Covid-19 spread
Parents for Ghana intensify dema calls for govment to shut down schools sake of fears say Covid-19 dey spread.
Students attend class at one of the schools supported by Empower Playgrounds near Accra, Ghana (File)(2009/02/24) National Council of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) say de children dey live in fear and panic sake of dema dey hear of colleagues who dey catch de virus. Alexander Yaw Danso, President for National Council of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) talk BBC Pidgin say "Ghana start as one, two, three cases but right now we catch 24,000. Dem wan make we wait until September?" "De worst part be say dem no dey test dem too… how dem go know if de students test positive for de virus when dem no dey test dem?" he add. Tension start dey mount among parents after news broke say 55 people made up of students den teachers for Accra Girls' Senior High School test positive for Covid-19. Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Ghana Education Service (GES) release joint statement where dem reveal say after testing 314 people for de virus in de school, 55 test positive. GES say dem go continue to test, trace and treat cases for schools across de country to manage Covid-19 cases in schools. Cassandra Twum Ampofo, GES Spokesperson talk BBC Pidgin say "we dey identify and segregate contacts from other students." What GES dey do to fight Covid-19 in schools • Authorities distribute nose masks give students • GES intensify education on use of nose masks, sanitizers and social distancing • Students now dey attend dinning in smaller units so say dem no go experience overcrowding on campuses • Testing of suspected Covid-19 cases across de country. • Second mass disinfection exercise of schools • Strengthen counselling and psychological support over de Covid-19 fear National Council of Parent Teachers Association dey call for de shut down of school but according to de GES dis no be de best move at dis time. But GES Spokesperson, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, explain give BBC Pidgin say from how dem dey manage de situation sending dem home no be good move. Why Ghana no shut down schools? See di reason dem give. • Main reason students dey on campus be sake of dema final exams, after which all go return home • E no be safe to send students home now, rather keeping dem in schools go help manage any suspected cases of Covid-19 • Govment get opportunity to easily test, trace and treat students wey catch de virus while dem dey in confined places like school • Students dey come from all over de country, if authorities leave dem make dem go house, dem go fit infect dema communities • Most of de cases dem dey record for schools dey in incubation period, so e go be better say authorities go keep dem in school and treat dem • Once govment confine dem, e go be easy to contact trace, identify and treat students Despite calls from National Council of Parent Teachers Association, GES say despite dem get de interest of students at heart wey dem go finish de exams and return home to dema families.