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Ministry of Education outlines guidelines for schools reopening amid COVID-19

The Ministry of Education has outlined in detail, the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of schools and universities in the country amid COVID-19.

Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh

Schools and universities are to be re-opened for final year students from Monday, June 15, 2020.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in a televised address to the nation on Sunday, May 31, 2020, said final year students in junior high, senior high, and universities can resume classes and lectures ahead of the conduct of their respective final examinations.

"Indeed, final year university students are to report to their universities on 15th June, final year senior high school (SHS 3) students together with SHS 2 gold track students on 22nd June and final-year junior high school (JHS 3) students on 29th June," he stated.

The Education Ministry briefing the press outlined in detail the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of schools and universities.

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The sector Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said on the day of reopening schools on June 15, 2020, parents and guardians will not be allowed to visit their wards in boarding schools during the period.

He said students will also not be available for religious and sporting activities, as well as entitled to only four hours of teaching, from 9 am to 1 pm with 15 minutes break period every 45 minutes.

According to him, there will not be the normal assembly periods with borders in SHS's going for dining in batches in adherence to the social distancing protocols.

All students will be provided with 3 reusable sets of face masks to protect themselves while in school.

In addition, all-day students would be accepted into boarding houses in the school to provide accommodation for them and also cautioned parents not to send their unwell wards to school when they reopen.

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He stated that Junior High School pupils will be in school for 11 weeks to prepare for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which will start in the 12th week after reopening.

Speaking on universities reopening, Dr. Opoku Prempeh said foreign students will be quarantined for 2 weeks if they are able to make the necessary arrangement to come into the country with the closure of borders directive still in place.

Before the re-opening of schools and universities, the Ministry of Education, and the heads of public and private educational institutions, have been directed to fumigate and disinfect their institutions and "Each student, teacher, and non-teaching staff will be provided with re-usable face masks by the Ministry of Education. For the avoidance of doubt, all other educational facilities, private and public, for non-final year students, will remain closed."

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