Accra, Jan. 15, GNA – The National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) on Friday announced it would monitor schools to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols.
Dr Hilda Ampadu, the NaSIA Executive Director, said the Authority had met with Public and Private Schools on January 8 and discussed the modalities for the re-opening of schools for the new academic year.
The virtual engagement was one of the many ways the Authority had adopted to guide and support school owners on how to successfully and safely reopen schools amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ampadu said: “NaSIA is committed to health and safety during the start of the new academic year amid the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases.
“We want to ensure that schools are equipped with the right information amidst preparations for a safe physical re-opening to reduce the risk of infections on school campuses,” she said.
She noted that it was important for school owners to meticulously follow the COVID-19 guidelines on school re-opening to keep students, teaching and non-teaching staff safe and healthy.
“Our Inspectors will go round to monitor schools to ensure schools are adhering to all protocols,” she said.
To allay the fears of parents, Dr. Ampadu, who is also the Inspector-General of Schools, said the management of schools must actively engage their Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) or Parent Forums to agree on ways to work together to ensure the safety of learners.
The Executive Director called all schools to get acquainted with their respective Municipal Director of Health and the Disease Control Officer.
“Should they experience a positive COVID-19 case or a suspicion, they have to inform the Municipal Health Directorate immediately; they will come in and take over the case and apply the necessary protocols.
“This is usually at no cost to the school. Boarding houses are also advised to keep temporary isolation units for suspected cases before the Municipal Health Directorate takes over.
“COVID-19 is a national concern and we do not want schools to feel alone in this fight,” she stated.
She asked schools that reported positive cases to also inform NaSIA immediately.
About 300 International Curricular Schools and Private School Owners participated in the virtual engagement.
The National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA), an agency under the Ministry of Education, is an Independent Regulator of all Pre-Tertiary Educational Institutions (PTEIs) in Ghana.
Under the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023), NaSIA is mandated to register, license and inspect both public and private PTEIs in Ghana.
The Authority also provides an independent external evaluation of the quality and standards in PTEIs in the country on a periodic basis.
GNA