The Assistant Headmistress in charge of Administration at the St. Mary’s Senior High School, Mrs Sarah Garshong, is calling on government to hasten slowly in taking any decision to re-open schools en masse.
In the event it becomes necessary for government to reopen schools, she said, that should be done gradually, starting with final year students.
“The government must do it gradually by allowing the final-year students who are due for examinations,” she said.
Mrs Garshong made the call when Zoomlion Ghana Limited disinfected and fumigated St Mary’s Senior High School Saturday as part of the national disinfection and fumigation of SHSs across the country.
A number SHSs in the Greater Accra, including the Mamprobi branch of Ideal College, Accra Academy SHS, St Margaret Mary SHS and Sacred Heart Technical Institute at Jamestwon
The schools were disinfected against the deadly novel coronavirus and fumigated against bed bug infestation which has become a major problem in SHSs across the country.
Mrs Garshong indicated that should schools reopen now, it will be tough for most schools including St Mary’s SHS to practice “physical and social distancing safety protocol.”
That she explained was because her school has limited space for its large student population.
“That will mean that students will have to go to the dining hall in batches in addition to other social gatherings on campus which clearly will be difficult for us to implement,” she admitted.
However, she pointed out that when the final year students are allowed to come in first, “then we are certain that we can practice, particularly the physical distancing protocol in addition to the other Covid-19 preventive protocols”.
But she said government reopens school, teachers must be provided with personal protective gear to protect them from any possible infection of covid-19.
Meanwhile, Mrs Garshong was optimistic that the fumigation will go a long way to help the school get rid of the bugs.
According to her, the school has had to battle with bugs for some years, and advocated regular disinfestation exercise against bed bugs in SHSs.
That, she said, will prevent the recurrence of these insects.
She commended GES and Zoomlion for the initiative.
At the Sacred Heart Technical Institute at Jamestown, the Vice Principal in charge of Administration, Wetse L. Odjidja, said even when schools re-open, “we will still be in abnormal times, and we will have to observe all the Covid-19 protocols”.
Management of the school, he said, will also ensure that students observe all the safety protocols in the event school re-opens.
“We will also educate our students to take personal hygiene serious,” Mr. Odjiidja assured.
By 3news.com|Ghana