President Akufo-Addo
With reference to letter dated 13th May 2020 by the Ghana Education Service, I write to suggest to the President that, it would be the worst decision ever to be taken by him if he agrees to the petition from the GES to reopen schools in Ghana. Even though the cases of COVID-19 recoveries are very encouraging and have given most of the Ghanaians hope of surviving from this Nobel virus when tested positive.
But Mr. President, If you reconsider your thought to probably lift the ban on social gathering any moment from now or during your next Nation's address, I would humbly plead with you to please exclude the reopening of schools from it. I do not want to say that, the petition by the GES to bring the school to normal operation is bad, but this is not the right time we need it.
Considering the reopening of schools, It would be the greatest threat to the lives of the students and the country at large, especially in our country that most students comes from different geographical locations where it is even possible to contract some of the viruses in the vehicle one have to board especially when the driver and the people are all not adhering to the preventive measures outlined.
The riskiest of all would be when this COVID-19 patient shows no symptoms of the virus but stays together with other colleagues in the same boarding house, hostel, hall, classroom, or lecture halls with others. I can say emphatically that, our classrooms and lecture halls are choked with students and some do not even find themselves a place to sit, how much more to observe social distancing, and the other precautionary measures.
It would be unprofessional on my side if I even talk about implications that the reopening of schools would have on the primary and Kindergartens since no one needs to be told on that. If the adults are finding it very difficult to stay safe, how much more the little child who doesn't know his left from his right.
The saddest part of it all, Is at this moment that the cases keep on increasing whiles there is the unavailability of some equipment and other things which may help us to fight this virus. Who cures Who especially when our front line workers are even testing positive to this novel virus.
Mr. President, I can't bring my suggestion into conclusion whiles forgetting your COVID-19 quote that is waving the flag of Ghana internationally, and I quote; "We (government) know how to bring the economy back to life. What we do not know is how to bring people back to life,".