The Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has explained that government’s decision to allow SHS final year and Form 2 Gold Track students to remain in school is in spite of a number of reported positive covid-19 cases in some schools across the country.
According to him, he disagrees with those calling for Senior High Schools to be closed down.
Dr. Prempeh said "Of the 721 senior high schools in the country, with a population of about 400,000 in school and 13 reported cases across 5 schools, the calls were not tenable"
He added that there have been no reported cases even in some communities where some of our schools are cited adding that one cannot therefore call for all the schools in the country to be shut down.
“Those of us in leadership must listen to public concerns, and be guided by the evidence in making recommendations to the President. Even if my child were in school at present, I would not, with the evidence as it stands, recommend to the President that schools should be shut down”, he noted.
Dr. Prempeh stressed that whether to close the schools or keep them open, his Ministry will take into consideration community trends as well as risks and rewards involved.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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