651,000 kids expected to register for ‘my first day at school’ – GNAT

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has revealed that per their research about 651,000 kids are expected to register for ‘My First Day at School’ when school reopens on Monday 18 January.

They have explained that these children fall under 4years and any further delay in reopening the schools would have created back lock of these children.

The figure they have said is astronomically high compared to the previous years and this is as a result of closure of schools from March last year due to the outbreak of CoronaVirus pandemic.

GNAT General Secretary, Mr. Thomas T. Musah speaking in an interview on Yen Sempa morning show on Onua FM on Tuesday 12 January disclosed this adding that about 51 Junior High Schools (JHS) students have been impregnated.

The situation has said could been worse and result in high child labour if government would have failed to reopen the schools to allow the kids to go to school at the early stage.

Thomas Musah thus applauded the government’s directive for the reopening of schools on Monday.

He appreciated the government’s effort in fumigating both public and private schools before the reopening date but was quick to add that the government should endeavor to distribute all the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE’s) to help safeguard the school children.

He indicated that irrespective of the teachers being in the house for quite long they are still on top of the game and are prepared to return to the classroom.

He however urged the government to consider deploying personnel from the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) to assist the teachers in managing and safeguarding the schools children.

The GNAT secretary explained that managers of schools in their effort to observe physical distancing would have to reduce the number of students in class hence the need of the services of the NABCO personnel at this point in time.

He thus urged parents and a guardian to support their children with PPE’s to help augment government’s effort in ensuring that students are protected during schools when schools are reopened.

Source: 3 News