Shut schools down to what end?- NAPO rules out closure
Pressure is mounting on government to close down schools again after covid-19 infection were recorded but the Minister of Education has ruled out any shut down.
Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh also known as NAPO, who himself tested positive for the disease said it was best to keep the children in school than allow them to go home.
“You want us to close down the schools to what end? Nobody in the school contracted the virus from the schools. They all brought it from home. If you look at the protocols in place where do you think is better to isolate and quarantine?
“So I disagree with those calling for the closure of schools. I won’t agree with them today nor tomorrow,” he said in an interview on Peace FM, monitored by theghanareport.com.
There have been growing calls for schools across the country to be shut down after some cases were detected in some facilities.
President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Kabonu, was among those who called for the closure over fears of a possible outbreak among children.
But NAPO said those calling for the closure of the schools must think of the vulnerable students who stand the chance of being raped when they stay home.
“We have over 1.2 million children in schools now. How many of them have contracted the virus? So should we send all the children home? You and I (host of the show) can afford to go for our children from the schools to stay at home because we are not ordinary Ghanaians.
“There are those who will be raped when they stay at home and that could be the end of their dreams. There are those who won’t have food to eat at home when schools are shut. Have we thought about those children? he quizzed.
He said he would be a bad person if he recommends the closure of schools over the disease.
Some schools, including the Accra Girls’ Senior High School, reported cases of COVID-19.
The school recorded the first case on June 29, after some students showed signs of the infection. They were later taken to the Ga East Municipal Hospital for treatment on Saturday, July 4.
Further laboratory analysis showed that six students were carriers of the coronavirus.
Briefing the media Tuesday, July 7, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Pre-Tertiary, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum said: “The school has isolated 648 contacts.”
Meanwhile, Ghana recorded another jump in its COVID-19 cases after it recorded 854 new cases, bringing the cumulative case count to 22,822.
17,564 people have either recovered or discharged. Per the update provided by the Ghana Health Service’s website, the death toll still stands at 129 as at July 9, 2020.
24 persons are in severe condition, eight (8) in critical condition, and five (5) are on ventilators.
God is still on his throne.
We saw this coming but u ppl refuse to hear us , re-opening of the schools was wrong move .
Not necessarily because the students have the virus transmitted from their various homes.
Let’s not be quick to judge
How many students where raped when they were at home?
Where they not eating when they were at home?
Napo abeg come again
Be you have not gotten good record of home sick doesn’t mean others haven’t. Closing of schools is to what end,?believe it or not the virus have come to stay,therefore we have to learn to adapt to the situation., if l may ask is it closing of schools that we make our nations(both leaders and nor leaders) change from our evil ways. Are the Chinese not awear of the effects of the virus?how lives will be lost? Are the personnels working at each boarder’s not paid at month end to make sure no unusual cross is done.?when the lockdown was in progress how many volunteers works was successful carried out.every body was busy securing for their family. Self centeredness is busy killing us and we pretend to be complaining. If the government teachers are not receiving salaries would they not have called for meeting? Many are praying that we stay this way why few are not
I no blame u…na ur Fulani president olodo rapata I blame
I agree with you Mr minister for what end should school be closed, come to think of it ,if you go to the market you how people are crowded no social yet our government are not complaining rather they want to hinder students from writing their WAEC for selfish interest.