Most governments decided to temporarily close educational institutions in an attempt to reduce the spread ofCOVID-19.[1] As of 12 January 2021, approximately 825millionlearners are affected due to school closures in response to the pandemic. According toUNICEF monitoring, 23 countries are implementing nationwide closures and 40 are implementing local closures, impacting about 47 percent of the world's student population. 112 countries' schools are open.[2]
On 23 March 2020,Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) released a statement announcing the cancellation ofCambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma, and Cambridge Pre-U examinations for the May/June 2020 series across all countries.[3]International Baccalaureate exams have also been cancelled.[4] In addition,Advanced Placement Exams,SAT administrations, andACT administrations have been moved online and cancelled.
In response to school closures,UNESCO recommended the use ofdistance learning programs andopen educational applications and platforms that schools and teachers can use to reach learners remotely and limit the disruption of education.[22] Colleges have scrambled to find creative solutions to teaching students online, in-person but socially distant, or in ahybrid format.[23]
Basic schools, senior high schools and universities, both public and private, have also been closed. OnlyBECE andWASSCE candidates were permitted to remain in school under social distancing protocols.[24]
TheGES and Zoomlion Ghana Limited also joined forces to launch an initiative to fumigate all senior high, special and technical schools in the country to curb the spread of the pandemic.[25]
The President, in his address to the nation, assured parents of students to be calm over the reopening of schools amidst the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Ghana.[27]
Students ofAccra Girls School were to undergo mass testing for COVID-19 disease after it was reported some students tested positive for the virus.[28]
TheGES maintained that final yearSHS students would write theirWASSCE exams despite COVID-19 fears.[29]
The COVID-19 team of theNDC proposed mass testing of students and the closure of schools as cases were recorded and continued to rise.[30]
The Minister for Education, who recovered from the virus, led a campaign against the stigmatization of people infected with COVID-19.[31]
The president asked students and teachers to abide by the COVID-19 protocols, who would be involved in the conduct of the 2020 final year exams.[32]
GES andGHS issued a joint statement stating,“any school where no positive case of COVID-19 has been recorded, the students can vacate and go home." due to COVID-19 infections recorded in some schools.[33]
TheVC ofUG revealed the mode of teaching and learning to curb the spread of COVID-19.[34]
An organization appealed to Government to providePPEs to schools during their reopening.[35]
The executive director of an education think-tank claimed the Government should provide COVID-19 safety materials before school reopens.[36]
An organization asked the Government to take into consideration the reopening of schools in January 2021.[37] The organization hailed the Government for its decision to reopen schools.[38] The President claimed it was safe for schools to resume for academic activities and he mentioned the dates of amdist COVID-19 resumption.[39][40]
TheMoE released a document of the approved calendar fromKG toSHS to curb the spread of the virus.[41]
The Director-General ofGES revealedJHS students would run a semester system with the observance of the protocols.[42] He also cautioned schools not to charge or ask for COVID-19 tests before students are admitted.[43]UG adopted the double track system to help reduce the spread of the virus among staff, students and lecturers.[44] Students in the university resisted the double track system.[45] The university partnered with Zoomlion to disinfect the institution.[46] A student advised the university to enforce the COVID-19 protocols.[47] The university claimed it would punish students who fail to observe the safety protocols.[48]
MoE revealed private schools would be provided withPPEs and the schools would also be fumigated for free.[49]MoE told school authorities to contact their local assemblies forPPEs.[50] It appealed with parents to support the government to providePPEs to every school.[51]
Students arrived at the various universities as directed by the President for the reopening of schools.[52]
Some Accra students were 'excited' that schools reopened.[53] An association claimed that about 651,000 children were expected back to school.[54] School children returned to schools while observing the safety protocols.[55]
TheGES claimed it would ensure schools are safe for teaching and learning,[56] it issued some guidelines to be followed,[57] it also urged parents to protect their children from the virus,[58] it also claimed all schools were presented withPPEs.[59] The institution was urged to enforce the protocols in schools for assurance to parents.[60] The institution claimed it trained 52,000 teachers to assist in halting the spread of the virus in schools.[61] TheGES with the support from the government decided to provide laptops to teachers for use during the COVID-19 era.[62] The institution claimed it would increase surveillance and intensify contact tracing in schools in Ghana.[63]
NUGS appealed to the parliament to consider the motion for free tertiary education due to the impact of the pandemic.[64] The Speaker of Parliament urged the leadership of the political parties to aid streamline the motion for free tertiary.[65] AnMP claimed stopping students from payment of fees in tertiary institutions would be a minimal cost to the country.[66] Parliament voted against free tertiary education for students.[67] TheVC of Pentecost University supported calls for absorption of fees for tertiary students.[68]
The administration ofUPSA claimed it would mix online and physical teaching and learning for the 2020/21 academic year due to the pandemic.[69]
A Clinical Microbiologist, Dr Michael Owusu, claimed the government might be forced to shut down schools.[70]
A Conference of Directors appealed to theGES to take action on PPEs in institutions.[71]
An authority warned school authorities to enforce the safety protocols.[72]
The President of an association blamed parents for the challenges they faced in curbing the spread of the virus in schools.[73]
5 students of Koforidua Technical were claimed to have tested positive for COVID-19.[74] It was reported a student ofTTU tested positive for the virus.[75] About 142 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in some schools in four regions.[76] A girls' school in the Eastern region confirmed 13 COVID-19 cases.[77]UENR conformed 5 cases of COVID-19 in Sunyani.[78]
The Chairman of Vice-Chancellors Ghana claimed cases recorded in some universities in the country were managed.[79]
The National Schools Inspectorate Authority called on schools to report COVID-19 cases to theGHS.[80]
The Union of Teachers was against calls for the closure of schools due to the increase in infections.[81] A virologist atKCCR appealed to the government to shut down lower primary and others.[82]Child Right International supported the union of teachers against calls for closure of schools.[83]
The Board Chairman of a school claimed that private schools were affected by the pandemic.[84]
The COVID-19 pandemic was claimed to have provided the opportunity to strengthen online studies.[85]
Private schools in the country claimed they were still in hardship due to the pandemic.[86]
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