Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has indicated its preparedness to receive final year students of senior high schools (SHSs) back into the classroom next week.
It follows a presidential directive for the various levels of schools to open to enable final year students to sit for their final examination.
At a meeting at the Jubilee House on Thursday, the leadership of CHASS said it was ready to reopen to help students take their exams.
The President of CHASS, Alhaji Yacoub A. B. Abubakar, said even though there were challenges such as the delay in the delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the supply of food items, they were largely ready to receive students to begin academic work.
“For now, I want, on behalf of CHASS, to say that we as the administration on the ground and teachers are in readiness for the reopening of the school hoping that the few grey areas that we have mentioned will be looked at and addressed before possibly the 22nd of this month when the schools are to be reopened,” he said.
Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo, who chairs a committee set up by the President to oversee issues relating to the reopening of schools for only final year students, assured members of CHASS that the PPE and all other logistics would be supplied to their respective schools by Sunday.
“To date, nothing has been distributed but by Sunday, God willing, everything will be at their proper location,” he gave an assurance.
President Akufo-Addo had indicated his government’s resolve to make the reopening of schools for final year students smooth sailing for them to have the peace of mind they need to study to do their exams.
“I’m determined to do everything possible to make sure that you’re comfortable. They are calling these young men and women who are coming ‘Akufo-Addo’s graduates’ because they are the first lot of the senior high school that will be Free Senior High School graduates who will be taking their exams, so I have a vested interest in making sure that everything goes according to plan,” he said.
He, therefore, expressed hope that everything would go according to plan while thanking the headmasters, teaching and non-teaching staff for their commitment to duty in these unusual times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent