The major pre-tertiary teacher unions in Ghana thus; Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Collation of Concerned Teachers – Ghana (CCT-GH), and Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU) has in a joint press statement kicked against the Ghana Education Service’s proposals to reopen schools in midst of the coronavirus pandemic should president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lift the restrictions on public gatherings on 31st May, 2020.
After series of engagements, the Pre-tertiary Education Unions released another statement indicating that, upon a careful analysis of the current data and information from the experts on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana, make it known that they cannot subscribe to the re-opening of schools after the expiration of the May 31, 2020 deadline on public gathering by the President of the Republic of Ghana.
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The four teacher unions after a joint meeting on 26th May, 2019 has officially outlined some suggestions and guidelines to the Ghana Education Service following their earlier proposals should the Management of the Ghana Education Service decide to re-open schools regardless of the prevailing evidence of
horizontal spread of the disease.
The suggestions and guidelines outlined by the teacher unions were placed under two major categories. These are;
a. short term and immediate and b. Medium long term.
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Below is the suggestion under the short term and immediate
1. All schools should be disinfected.
2. Ensure that all schools have good water and sanitation facilities.
3. Improve ventilation in all school facilities.
4. All Staff and Learners should be tested before schools reopen and those with positive results should not be allowed entry in the school.
5. Commence reopening with only JHS 3 & SHS 3 Learners as a pilot for re-opening of
Schools.
6. All schools should be provided with a Thermometer Guns, Veronica Buckets, and Hand sanitizers.
7. Reduce all class sizes to maximum 20 using all-round 1-meter distancing.
8. Provide appropriate nose mask for Learners and Staff of Schools.
9. Assign schools to designated health facilities.
10. Develop new operational guidelines for schools under the ‘new normal”.
11. Provide appropriate technological tools for teaching and learning.
12. Introduce shift system at the basic Level.
13. Provide free transportation for Learners.
14. Decongest dormitories to maintain social distancing protocol.
15. Provide special incentives for staff of the Ghana Education Service.
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Below are the suggestions for Medium-long term
1. Expand and improve existing Infrastructural facilities in schools.
2. Decongest dormitories to maintain social distancing protocol.
3. Recruit more teachers to support teaching and learning.
4. Study the outcomes of the JHS 3 & SHS 3 pilot and use it to improve reopening of the entire school system.
Below is the statement from the teacher Unions to GES.
