The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured that the health status of all students returning to school this week would be prioritised even as the cases of COVID-19 continue to rise.
In his regular address to the nation on COVID-19, he stressed that all efforts are been undertaken to make sure that the students returning to school would be safe. Some of these measures include the spacing out of students in classrooms, designation of one dormitory block as an isolation centre, and the mapping of schools to health facilities.
According to the President, instructors, teachers and all those required to play various roles with the return of students to schools have been provided with the necessary PPE to protect the safety of the students. These measures should come as a huge sigh of relief to worried parents.
However, the President urged parents to endeavor to support their wards with face masks as they return to school. To him, everyone must play their part in the fight against the deadly virus and that include parents and the students.
As much as the president’s words sound very assuring, the role of the students in making sure the virus does not spread cannot be underestimated.
It is the strong opinion of this paper that students returning to school understand clearly that times are different and life and living it, as it was, is no longer the same. The times of hugging, shaking hands at every turn and gathering at the least opportunity is over, or until the virus is defeated completely.
The reason for their return is to study for their exams, and for the gold track, to complete the term. Students must focus on these key aims, respect all the COVID-19 laid down protocols including the constant wearing of face coverings, regular washing of hands, or use of hand sanitizers, respecting social distancing guidelines and reporting any symptoms to authorities.
If these guidelines are followed to the letter, students would return home after these six weeks without becoming carriers of the virus into homes.
