The prices of books, educational materials, school bags, and other items have shot up barely 24-hours after the President announced the reopening of schools at all levels.
Rainbow Radio’s reporter Prince Collins Bening reporting from Adeiso indicated that traders in the area have increased these items with the excuse that the prices at the wholesale level have also increased.
The traders told him, the increment is not to extort from parents who are preparing to send their wards back to school.
Our reporter said parents have complained about the increment but the traders insisted they cannot be blamed.
They have commended the president for reopening schools since they said it will boost their business.
“One of the major affected product are school bags. A bag that sold at Ghc25 is now being sold at Ghc35. Despite the increment, people are buying the bags after the reopening was announced,” he said.
Prez announces reopening of schools
President Akufo-Addo in his 21st address announced the reopening of schools at all levels.
He explained that the lessons drawn from the reopening of some sections of our educational institutions, in the course of last year, have put us in a much better position to oversee successfully the full reopening of our schools.
“Our children must go to school, albeit safely, and we are satisfied that, in the current circumstances, the re-opening of our schools is safe.
So, from 15th January, our children in kindergarten, primary and Junior High, in both private and public schools, will be back in school. All SHS 1 students will start classes from 10th March, with all students embarking on a single-track academic calendar. Their seniors in SHS 2 and SHS 3 will, however, return to school from 18th January. I must stress that SHS 3 students in all schools, like SHS 1 students, will no longer run the double track system. The expansion of infrastructure at the various senior high schools, over the last three (3) years, has brought us to this favourable situation. However, the double track system will still be applicable to SHS 2 students in schools that are employing it. Students in universities and other tertiary institutions are to be in school from Saturday, 9th January.
Prior to their return to school, Government, through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, will ensure that all institutions, public and private, are fumigated and disinfected. Schools and institutions, with their own hospitals and clinics, will be equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment, and have isolation centres to deal with any positive cases. All other school and institutions, without their own clinics and hospitals, have been mapped to health facilities. There will be, for now, no mass gatherings and no sporting activities. However, religious activities for students at school, under the new protocols, will be permitted. Social distancing and the wearing of face masks must become the norm in our schools. The requisite provisions have been made to ensure that students at all levels of the education ladder receive the minimum number of contact hours upon their return to school,” he said.
He continued: “To facilitate the safety of students, Government, through the Ministry of Education, will provide face masks, ‘Veronica’ buckets, hand sanitisers, liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, and thermometer guns for the safe re-opening of the schools. The Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service will from Monday, 4th January, commence a series of sensitisation campaigns to help prepare, inform and educate guardians, students and the public on further modalities associated with the re-openings.
I want to use this address to assure all parents and guardians that Government is determined to protect the lives of all students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to school. It bears repeating that everyone of them must adhere strictly to the protocols to protect themselves and others.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
