Akutuase (E/R), Jan.20, GNA – Mr. Kwabena Panin Nkansah, the Atiwa East District Chief Executive (DCE) has marked ”My First Day At School” with the donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and school uniforms to basic school pupils in hard-to-reach areas across the district.
He also donated hand sanitizers, nose masks and cookies to ensure that school children especially the Kingdergarten and primary one pupils were protected from contracting the COVID-19 disease in the area.
Among the schools visited were Akutuase D/A Primary, Awuronsua D/A Basic, Kadawaso Presbyterian Primary, Teawea D/A basic, Teawea Subriso D/A and Hiawonwua D/A basic schools.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Akutuase in the Atiwa East District, Mr Nkansah said the programme was introduced by government to ensure the safety of school going children and to welcome them back to school after nine months of closing down of schools across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the assembly, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Ghana Health Service would do all it could to ensure the safety of the children by embarking on awareness creation and donating of more PPE to schools in the district.
Mr Nkansah expressed worry at the rate in which most pupils and students, who reported to school on Tuesday morning, were without face masks, while some schools had students sitting in pairs and in some cases three on a desk, adding that the assembly would soon provide furniture to most schools in the district.
He said the country’s fight against COVID-19in schools could face a stiff challenge in the Eastern Region following non-adherence to the protocols.
Mr Nkansah therefore entreated the teachers and parents to also do their part to ensure the safety of their wards and the school children.
Some of the students, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, said they were waiting for the government to provide them with nose masks since their parents could not afford it.
GNA