OUTCOME OF THE MEETING AT THE PRESIDENCY ON 26TH MAY 2020
Agenda
Proposal to reopen schools
Attendance
1. His Excellency the President
2. Chief of Staff
3. MoE
4. Gov. Task Force on Covid-19
5. Some Presidential staff(Eugene Arhin and Nana Asante Bedituo and others)
6. The Director General and his two Deputies.
7. Chairman – GES Council
8. Union Leaders and their Secretaries (GNAT, CCT GH, NAGRAT, TEWU)
*DISCUSSIONS & DECISIONS*
Issues raised by H.E in his address
1. The pandemic has brought massive impact on the economy such as low imports and exports, taxes are low, oil prices have been hit badly from 68$ to 20$ per barrel, airlines and shipping has virtually come to a halt.
2. The impact has brought other problems such as unbudgeted expenses on Government.
3. The poor have become more vulnerable in the face of the restrictions and any further restrictions will be more devastating aside the huge economic challenges being faced now.
4. Over 90% Ghanaians are made up Christians and Muslims and they have also been affected severely because religious activities are almost on a halt
5. The impact on the final year groups in the various levels of Ghana’s Education is very disturbing and psychologically painful because these terminal groups wish to move on life but due to these pandemic and restrictions, they are unable to proceed to face their future ( these groups include BECE, WASSCE, Final year Tertiary Students and the like)
6. In our educational set up, is difficult to continue to rely on the various online instructional methods because is difficult to assess the impact or evaluate the students/pupils. The worst of it is that not everyone can be reached electronically with the instructional materials
(School is when Teachers and Students have congregated for teaching and learning to take place)
7. Up to today, there is no cure or vaccine although many countries are working hard to get one.
In conclusion, he impressed on the House to join Government to face the future with safety being the backbone.
He added that for how long are we going to leave with these restrictions, how long can we sustain the economy if these restrictions persist?
He further more indicated that the data shows that;
1. Low level of deaths in Ghana
2. Number of people in critical conditions are also few ( there is no one on ventilator)
3. The prediction that Africa will be littered with dead bodies has not occured by the grace of God.
Against all these background, is not profitable to continue to close down the entire school system but safety measures should be put in place to reopen the schools.
He therefore proposed the FF.
1. WASSCE, BECE and Final Year Students in the Tertiary levels to be made to resume to start preparation towards their exams.
2. Vacation classes can be organized to engage the other students (All the above should be carefully considered by GES, the Unions and the various stakeholders).
*SPEECH BY THE UNIONS*
The UNIONS presented a 19 point proposals for consideration as we prepare to open schools.
*MOE*
The Minister on behalf of Government accepted the proposals and promised that it will be considered seriously.
*Covid-19 task force*
They indicated that our proposal on testing every teacher and pupil is a huge task because the test kits are even on short supply and expensive and the difficult aspect is our numbers, so far they have tested 200,000 people but teachers alone are more than 300,000
*AOB*
The President said his government is very receptive that is why they have decided to drop the Decentralization aspect of the pre-tertiary education bill and hope to discuss the subject in a future date. He urged all that we should be looking at a workable plan for Decentralization of education. The Minister indicated that the inputs of the UNIONS on the other aspects of the Bill has been welcomed and will be considered as such.
*Closure of the meeting*
The President appreciated everyone for attending to his invitation and requested if we are get in touch with our members even in these Covid-19 period.
Mr. King Ali Awudu responded that yes we are in touch and narrated the case CCT Ghana member who tested positive for COVID-19 was assisted by the Union and how the member has been treated by health professionals at an isolation centre and tested negative after some weeks and reunited to his family.
General Secretary,
CCT Ghana.
