Head teachers and at least one classroom teacher in the Eastern Region are receiving a COVID-19 training for the effective management should the virus breakout in their respective Schools.
The training which is taking place across the region, draws participants from the Ghana Education Service (GES), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to combat the spread of the virus in schools in the region.
In Lower Manya Krobo, the Municipal Health Director, Dr. Bismark Sarkodie, in his address to participants, directed all basic and Senior High School Head teachers in the municipality to allocate for a room for an isolation center when there was a suspected case. He added that Atua isolation center alone does not have enough capacity to serve the three surrounding Districts namely; Upper Manya, Yilo and Asuogyaman.
Dr. Sarkodie also bemoaned the logistical constraints that his outfit was facing in the health delivery.
These includes; inadequate N95 face masks to the frontline staff among others, he therefore called on the religious organizations and other stakeholders to support his outfit with accommodation facility that would serve as an isolation center and more PPEs to help fight the pandemic effectively.
On registered health workers in the area, he indicated that his outfit is training the said officials on COVID-19 management and were ready to assist schools in managing the said situation, adding that each school has been allocated a health post in the area. This, he said has become necessary for a quick response in dealing with the situation.
A Facilitator who doubles as Head of Supervision and Monitoring at GES Lower Manya Krobo in the municipality, Mr. Kpabity Samuel, urged participants to educate pupils and students on the signs and prevention of the virus in the schools.
He also tasked teachers to take pupils through the psychological needs for caring for a stress and trauma patients go through when these arise and; has therefore charged the participants to ensure their classrooms observed the health protocol on 1 meter distance.
Meanwhile, Health Promotion Officer, Mrs. Roes Lawer, took the participants through the general over view of COVID 19 , and the rational use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) in the community and schools by students as well as teachers to help prevent the spread of the virus.
The story was not different in the Yilo Krobo municipality, when the Public Relation Officer of the Education Directorate said, “a total of 71 Junior High and 3 senior high schools were trained on COVID-19 case management.”
Demonstrating appropriate face masking practice (Mr A in the face mask and shield is practicing double protection – recommended)
Adding, Mr. Solomon Sackitey said “Officers from GES and GHS in the municipality were trained. These officers in turn trained organized the training for head teachers and teachers.”
Mr. Sackitey made this known in a phone conversation with Rite FM’s Kodjo Boafo on Friday, 17July, 2020.
Speaking to Mrs. Onyinka Esther Dua who is the District Health Director for Upper Manya Krobo commended the teachers and participants for their commitment to always standing for student welfare needs.
She therefore asked parents to remain calm since COVID-19 knowledge imparted on teachers could easily combat any outbreak in the schools. Meanwhile, she stress that parents and teachers should entreat students to observe all coronavirus safety measures while stay in school.
Rite FM has learnt that other districts including New Juaben North and South, Fateakwa South, Akim West and Kwahu West, all held similar program for their respective schools.
The participants recounted how students were wantonly abusing the use of government distributed face mask in schools. While others were wearing unhygienic face mask to schools and others in some instances, came to school without face mask which in their estimation, posed risk to students and pupils to the virus, the teachers have observed in their respective schools.
Mr. Nadutey, the Head Teacher for Forman Junior High School, has advocated for the possession of two face masks by students whenever they were in school. This, he added would enable the students and pupils to observe hygiene
Participants
“I am calling on students to bring along two face masks to school to enable them change their face mask when it mistakenly falls or something stains on it,” but added that his outfit would organize Parent Teachers Association (PTA) meeting quickly to sensitize parents as well as the community on the need to observed the protocols on COVID -19 related issues.
In an interview with Mrs. Margaret Avaggy, headmistress of St. Pauls J.H.S, Atua in the Lower Manya municipal expressed her gratitude on the workshop especially on the use of face masks and hand sanitizers.
Expressing her joy to her understanding between the facts and fake news, Margaret Avaggy said there have been fake news about the corona virus outbreak.
“I have confirmed some of the false information that are been spread on social media platforms. Not Knowing, Atua Government Hospital has confirmed cases and there are patient receiving treatment, which the community is not aware,” she stated.
According to Mrs. Avaggy, “I have created a whatsapp group which all the students have been asked to join to enable myself and the teachers educate them (students) about the Covid-19,” she added.
At least 14 senior High schools in the country have recorded positive cases of the coronavirus. These schools includes; Mawuli and Mawuko Girls’ SHS in Ho municipality, Bishop Herman College in Kpando and Dabala Technical school, all in the Volta region.
Others includes Archbishop Porter Girls, Diabene and Adiembra SHS all in Takoradi. Source: Omanba Kodwo Boafo/ritefmonline.org
