GES School Reopening: Answers To Frequently Asked Questions And Guidelines

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has released the frequently asked questions on reopening of schools for KG, Primary JHS and SHS for the academic year. This comes after the meeting with the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS).

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Are our schools safe for kids under this COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer

On the advice from the experts from the GHS, it is safe to allow students to go back to school, learning from the experiences from the partial reopening of schools for 2nd and 3rd years of JHS and SHS.

When will the learners in KG, Primary ad JHS report to school?

Answer

KG to JHS will reopen on Monday, 18th January

What measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of learners in schools under the COVID-19 pandemic?

Answer

The government of Ghana  in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ghana Education Services (GES) and Ghana Ghana Health Service (GHS) have undertaken the following measures to guarantee the safety of our learners and staff:

• Disinfection of all schools before reopening.
• Veronica buckets, soaps, hand sanitizers and tissue papers to be provided to al schools.
• Washable and reusable face masks to be provided for all staff and learners.
• provision of thermometer guns for all schools.

Will the learners be promoted automatically?

Answer

1. Learners will move to the next level but would finish their lessons from where they left off before they continue with the syllables of their current class. Eg. KG 1 pupils will move to KG 2 and KG 2 to Primary 1 in that order.

Why the need for semester calendar for JHS  learners?

Answer

1. The new Common Core Programme (CCP) will run continuously for four (4) years from JHS 1 to SHS 1 beginning the JHS calendar from the current trimester to a semester as being run by the SHS will ensure the seamless progression of students and make up for the lost time.

Will KG and Primary Schools run semester system as well?

Answer

No! KG and Primary will continue with the current trimester system.

When will the SHS 1 students report to schools?

Answer

The SHS 1 together with SHS 2 Gold Track students will report on the 10th March .

Are Senior High Schools still going to be Double Track?

Answer

As promised earlier, the Double Track System was a temporary intervention awaiting facility improvements in our Senior High Schools.

Accordingly, all SHS 3 and SHS 1 will now be together as single track. Only SHS 2 students in existing double track schools will change to run the Double Track System.

Are schools going to allow social gatherings?

Answer

As the President directed only schools based religious gatherings are allowed in the schools. Even with that, schools are expected to avoid any kind of overcrowding during these gathering most morning assemblies are encouraged to be in the classroom setting so as to reduce overcrowding.

When will this year’s WASSCE and BECE be written?

In consultation with the examination body, WAEC, WASSCE has been proposed for September/October whereas BECE is proposed to be written in November .

What are the preparations for children with special needs?

Answer

Our children with special need will not be left behind. Children with special need also need to return to school. Support them!!

Will pregnant girls go back to school?

Answer

Yes! GES has a re-entry policy for pregnant school girls to continue their education from where they left off.

How will schools handle suspected cases?

Answer

Schools are mapped to health facilities. Learners with suspected cases would be treated by qualified nurses in these facilities. Schools will work closely with Health professionals.

How many hours will the learners spend in Schools?

Answer

KG and Lower Primary pupils will spend 4 hours in school, 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Those in the Upper Primary, JHS and SHS, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Check GES SHS Academic Calendar

• GES SHS Academic Calendar

Check GES JHS Academic Calendar

• GES JHS Academic Calendar

Check GES Primary / Basic Academic Calendar

• GES Primary / Basic School Academic Calendar

Check Full GES COVID-19 Guidelines For Reopening Of Schools

• Full GES COVID-19 Guidelines For Reopening Of Schools

OUTCOME OF COHBS MEETING WITH GES MANAGEMENT AT THE HEADQUARTERS.

Below is the outcome of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) meeting with GES

1. JHS now will be converted to semester system to be aligned with the SHS system.
2. KG1-P6 will continue with the trimester system.
3. Due to the huge lost in the pandemic, more time is needed to cover what was lost.
4. Pupils should be made to understand that we are not in normal times and should adjust and have patience to move forward.
5. BECE will continue to be written by the current JHS 2 and JHS 3 until they are gone.
6. The system will be maintained as it is now until after three years before it will be reversed back to the normal year- September.
7. KG1 – P 6 will start classes from 8:00am and close at 12:pm. Whilst JHS will close at their normal time before covid-19 ever came.
8. Teachers should ensure that all areas at the various levels lost are covered.
9. There shall not be repetition of any pupil. All should be allowed to go to the next class.
10. Schools should admit pupils to KG 1 and JHS do same for JHS 1.
11. My first day in school will be observed.
12. Teachers should use the resource packs and prepare their lessons and should not depend on textbooks.
13. Teachers should make research before they teach and should not depend on textbooks.
14. Some protocols will be relaxed in connection with the sizes of classes.
15. Shift systems may have to be considered in some of the schools. Directors would be empowered take care of events.
16. School managers should contact facilities like the churches, mosques etc to allow them send pupils in to them for teaching and learning.
17. Food vendors on the campuses if allowed to sell should observe all health protocols and even present health certificates.
18. Printing of Exam questions by the MMDEs has come to stay.
19. The MMDEs should use the machines provided by Government judiciously .Money will not be given instead.
20. Teachers should not write directly the the Headquarters and should use the proper channels of communication. Eg a teacher from the Bono Region wrote directly to the DD for teachers.