Let SHS 3 students return to school: Headmasters plea as Zoomlion disinfects Volta Schools

Government, has been called upon to reopen schools for final year Senior High Schools (SHSs) students even as the novel coronavirus spread still keeps students away from the classrooms.

The headmasters are worried the final year students, may not have enough time to study in the event that government decides to reopen schools at a later date before their WAEC final examination.

Headmistress of Three Town SHS, Margaret Adza Yawoo

Godson Kwane Agbavo, Headmaster Akatsi SHS

Headmaster, Ave SHS, Stephenson Yao Ahali

The concern was expressed during the on-going mass disinfection exercise in both public and private Senior High Schools, as well as special schools by Zoomlion under the auspices of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Senior High Schools in the Volta region were on Monday May 11, 2020, disinfected by the Vector Control Unit of waste management company Zoomlion after the company secured contract from the GES to disinfect all SHSs nationwide.

The Volta region thus, becomes the latest region to benefit from the exercise after Central, Eastern and Western regions, were disinfected last week.

Speaking to the media in turns, the headmasters and headmistresses, advised the government to make arrangements in such a way that both first and second year students, continue to remain at home so that schools will have the capacity for third year students  to begin studies before mass resumption of schools begins at a later date, especially at a time government is unable to tell when the coronavirus  situation will normalize for schools to reopen.

The exercise in the region, which saw some 98 schools benefitting from the programme in it first day, had schools such as Ave, Three Town, Anlo, Adaklu, Awudome, Agortime,Agortime Day, Dzodze, Akaste, and others having their dormitories, dining halls, classrooms, administrations among others, disinfected against bedbugs and other harmful animals.

Assistant Headmaster of Anlo SHS, Godson E. Ahiave, said authorities were worried about the continue staying at home of students and the general state of education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and suggested that while government tries to find far reaching measures to the disease, third year students, be allowed to return to school to prepare them for their final examination.

“My suggestion to government is that, it can hold the 1st and 2nd years, while it recalls the final year students so that we spread them may be 20 in a class then later the 1st and 2nd can come because of their impending exams”.

“The form three can be recalled so that they can use the few facilities we have”.

“The facilities are enough to use fir the school distancing”, he added

He went to commend government for the intervention in disinfecting the schools, saying it is a laudable idea which needs to be maintained and at the same time applauded.

Mr Ahiave, said even though Anlo SHS, disinfects periodically, it costs them a fortune to continue every term putting financial constraint on their finances. He pleaded to the government to sustain the exercise to ease the burden on schools.

Headmaster of Dzodze SHS, Edward Agbeti, who doubles as a chief said, despite the challenges facing schools, they are prepared and set to have, especially the 3rd years back in school for continuous studies.

His counterpart from Mawuli School, Jonathan Gustav Adomah said, they have within their means procured some sanitizers, soaps, Veronica Buckets and other materials, to follow the lay down protocols by government.

Other heads, including Mawuli, Awudome, Ola, Three Town, expressed the same concern and said it would do both the students and teachers a lot of good, if government listens and heed to their call to save time.

Headmistress of Three Town SHS, Margaret AdzoYawoo, thanked government for the projects being undertaking in her school through GETfund, but pleaded that, a little speed be attached to it so that students can have enough space to study.

Zoomlion, will take about ten days to disinfect all the 98 schools.

Writers Bureau Manager at Zoomlion, Robert K. Adjei, said the company was committed to visit all the schools and disinfect to curtail the spread of bedbugs in SHSs.

Mr Adjei said, Zoomlion and its mother company, JOSPONG Group of Companies, are  well resourced  and prepared to follow through the contract and will do all it can to complete the project as agreed upon with government.