By Beyonce Diamond Kpogli
To ensure the lives of learners in Basic, Senior High Schools, Technical and Vocational schools as well Universities in the country are safer for reopening of schools, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sanitation, Water and Nature Resources in partnership with Ghana Zoomlion Ghana Limited have commenced the fourth phase of disinfection exercise of schools in Tamale, capital of the Northern region.
The nationwide exercise which began yesterday in the country capital (Accra) and some regions is to ensure, schools are disinfected and fumigated against the pandemic, COVID-19 as they reopen on 9th January 2021 as orchestrated by the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his 21st Nation’s Address ‘updates on Coronavirus’.
In an interview with the press, General Manager Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Northern region Mr. Peter Dawuni indicated that the exercise is expected to last for a week.
He indicated that the exercise will benefit 8 Universities, 64 Senior High schools, and 602 basic schools comprising both public and private.
To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the exercise, Mr. Dawuni urged all heads of the Schools to collaborate with the various disinfection teams as the government seeks to protect the safety of learners in the country.
He, however, assured parents and the general public of productive exercise as schools are expected to reopen on the 9th of January,2021, hence should not panic but support the government in its quest to safeguard students and Ghanaians against the pandemic.
The first point of call in the Northern Region was the University for Development Studies (UDS) where classrooms, administration blocks, dining halls, and other departmental blocks were disinfected.
On his part, Dr. A.B.T. Zakariah, the Registrar, UDS, expressed his gratitude to Zoomlion and the government for their constant support and aid since the outbreak of the pandemic.
He said with confidence that the exercise will go a long way to contain the spread of the virus.
He indicated that the government’s actions show how it is determined to safeguard the lives of the ordinary Ghanaians as well as securing a safe and clean environment as schools are expected to reopen.
According to Dr. Zakariah, UDS is ready and prepared to accommodate 10,000 fresh new students on its campus this academic year.
“The institution has put in place measures such as the provision of adequate veronica buckets and hand sanitisers at advantage points on campus and face masks for both teaching and non-teaching staffs.
Also, he mentioned that online learning is still in session as a way to practice social distance as well as avoid the mass crowd on campus though face to face would be resumed.
“The E-learning is still in progress as one of the ways of maintaining social distancing, however, the school authority has also decided to divide the large class into two, hence to maintain a class of 50 learners for tuition”, he said.
At the Savannah region, Damongo Agricultural College and Damongo Nurse training college were disinfected as well.
