Accra, June 10, GNA – The Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide disinfection exercise of educational institutions across the country as part of measures to ensure the safety of students as they return to school from June 15.
The disinfection exercise, which would be undertaken by Zoomlion Ghana Limited, would cover 3,940 institutions – 2,500 Basic Schools; 1,200 Second-Cycle, and 240 Tertiary Institutions.
Launching the exercise, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister for Education said the nationwide exercise would be carried out in public and private schools both under and outside the ambit of the Ministry.
He said the government closed educational institutions in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating, however, that, as the government determines to re-open, it was prudent to ensure the safety of the users of the facilities.
He noted that the closure of the schools was not as difficult as re-opening them, saying, and “If we are going to re-open schools, it was significant to ensure that all schools are disinfected to get rid of any hidden viruses”.
Dr Opoku Prempeh said the disinfection exercise was not the end of the measures to fight the pandemic but also upon resumption, all safety protocols must strictly be adhered to.
He commended the University of Ghana authorities for allowing the launch of the exercise on its main campus.
He said Zoomlion Ghana Limited would be undertaking the exercise with other sister companies.
He charged Zoomlion to ensure that they delivered according to standards to maintain the positive image already acquired especially since the onset of the COVID-19.
He urged the Company to ensure that the disinfection exercises were carried out effectively and with the right calibration of the solution used.
Mrs Florence Larbie, the Managing Director of Zoomlion, told the Ghana News Agency on the side-lines, that the Company since the inception of the pandemic had been at the forefront of disinfecting and cleaning.
She said the disinfection of the tertiary institutions including Universities, Training Colleges, and Nursing Training would start from June 11 to 14.
She added it would be continued with the Second-Cycle Schools from June 15 to 21, which would be followed by the Basic Schools from June 21 to 27.
Mrs Larbie said the Company was committed to using the right mixture of chlorine with strength 6 per cent as recommended by the World Health Organisation as they were fully aware that too much of it could be dangerous for humans.
Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana (UG) commended the government for coming to the aid of all educational institutions in the country to make sure the premises were safe to host pupils and students.
Prof Oduro Owusu, who is also the Chairman of the Vice-Chancellors Ghana said it had been a headache for the all Vice-Chancellors on how they were going to ensure safety campuses.
He said they considered it as a great relief when the Ministry of Education announced a broad-based disinfection exercise.
He urged the government and Zoomlion to consider adding fumigation to the disinfection exercise especially in the UG, to help get rid of bedbugs that had been disturbing students on the campus of which the Minister for Education pledged to consider.
GNA