The Acting General Manager of Catholic schools in Ghana, Mrs Josephine Asooh, h as asked parents not to fear to send their children back to school. She assured parents that adequate measures have been put in place to guarantee the safety of their children. She made the statement against the background of reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responding to questions on Radio Angelus’ breakfast show, Mrs Asooh explained that efforts to intensify education on the pandemic and enforce compliance includes the Ghana Education Service (G.E.S.) constituting a taskforce dubbed, “Back to School for Safe Learning Taskforce” in the regions and districts. The primary mandate of the taskforce is to educate parents and children in their communities on COVID-19 and its related consequences.

On the question of guidelines for reopening of Catholic schools, the manager said her outfit has directed schools to print out the protocols and display at vantage points in the schools. Schools are also required to meet parents and educate them on the COVID-19 protocols.

The objective is to use parents to reinforce education of their children on the protocols at home. The manager, however, stressed on the need for head teachers and teachers to help students appreciate the seriousness of the pandemic.

In the event of suspected cases of coronavirus, the manager assured that schools have been matched to health facilities in the country to enable prompt treatment.

Mrs Asooh, who is also the Greater Accra Manager of the Catholic Education Unit, advised parents to provide cooked food for their wards so they could guarantee the safety of the food they eat. She said this with the awareness that the safety of food eaten by children outside the home cannot be assured. She added that parents should also consider adding vegetables and fruits to the children’s diet in order to boost their immune system.

Still on reopening of schoolsfor safe learning, the acting general manager appealed to the parish and church leaders to support their schools with additional facilities of their churches for worship, assembly and even lessons. She was of the view that the move will help enforce social distancing.

On the issue of availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Mrs Asooh, pleaded with past students, friends of the schools and other organisations to complement government’s effort in providing PPE and other logistics for smooth running of the schools.

Source: Radio Angelus