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Teachers and Parents in Cape Coast have called for a collective efforts to ensure students’ safety amidst the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

They expressed concern with some expected challenges to be encountered following President Akufo Addo's directive for schools to reopen amidst the COVID-19 in his 21st address to the Nation on Sunday, January 03.

He announced the reopening from January 15 for both private and public kindergarten (KG), primary and Junior High Schools (JHS).

Senior High Schools (SHS)-one students are to report back to school on Wednesday, March 10 while SHS two and three students are expected to resume on Monday January 18, 2020.

The GNA visited some Junior High Schools (JHS) including the Philip Quaicoo Boys School, Wesley Girls Cathedral, Catholic Jubilee School, Methodist Primary School and the St. Monica’s JHS to find out the level of adherence to the protocols.

At the Philip Quaicoo Boys School, it was observed that the school had put in place all necessary safety protocols needed to contain the spread of the virus.

Mrs. Leticia Saka, Headmistress, said more than half of the total of 280 expected students had shown up on the first day and they were all seen in nosemasks.

To ensure this becomes continuous, she said the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) will meet on Friday, January 22, to sensitize parents to prioritize the safety of their wards.

At the Wesley Girls Cathedral, Mr. Kwame Assan Essuman, a teacher, told the GNA that the school had provided single desks for students to promote physical distancing in classrooms.

He reassured parents of their wards’ safety and asked the parents to cooperate with the Schools Authorities to prevent the spread of the disease both at home and in schools.

At the Catholic Jubilee School, it was observed that a number of parents were seeking admission for their wards while the students cleaned the school.


Mr. Elvis Yeboah, a teacher, said the school would engage students in some counselling sessions to psyche them up for studies after a long stay at home.

In an interview with the GNA, Mr. Adam Seidu, a parent, said their greatest concern was the difficulty KG pupils will go through to strictly adhere to the protocols.

He pleaded with teachers to draw their strength together to ensure that all such children were safe under the school’s supervision.

A JHS student, Irene Kwakyewaa, shared her joy of resuming school, “we have been home for too long and I was helping my mother at the market, I am very happy to return to school to continue from where we left,” she said.