The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has asked the public to disregard publications circulating on social media that it has backed calls for the re-closure of basic schools.
Speaking on A1 Radio, President of the Association, Philippa Larson said she has never such a call and that the association was part of a stakeholder consultation before the resumption of schools; hence the public should disregard such “misleading” information.
Madam Larson who admitted to having had an interview yesterday with one media house said she was only stressing on the need for parents as well as teachers to constantly monitor their children in these trying times, not what has been captured by some media houses.
She noted “Before reopening of schools at any level, there were stakeholder consultations and Gnat has been part of those discussions. So, once schools have reopened, Gnat can never say that and has not said that. I was interviewed yesterday, and that is not what I said. The concern we have is that schools have reopened at all levels, all students are supposed to be in schools, the government is going to supply every student, teacher with PPEs but the effective use of them will be the problem. So, my calls were that teachers and parents should ensure that students, pupils at all times wear the masks.”
One of such reports has it that Madam Larsson and for that matter GNAT “is backing those calling for re-closure of basic schools till the government is ready to supply the schools with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) on time. GNAT’s President, Philippa Larson, says she toured several schools today/yesterday, Monday, and nine out of 10 pupils wore no face masks – not to talk about cleaning their hands and using hand sanitizers. The report added that Madam Larson spoke on The Big Agenda on Adom TV hosted by Nana Ampofo Agyei.
Asking the public to disregard such publication, Madam Larson however called on parents and teachers to rather take the safety protocols of COVID-19 seriously as their collective efforts will help combat the virus.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Moses Apiah |Ghana
