Don’t heed to pressure and reopen schools now - Man of God warns Nana Addo

The leader and founder of House of Christ Evangelical Church Apostle Johnson Owusu Mensah aka Brother Johnson has called on the President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo not to heed pressure and rescind his decision of closing down various primary and Junior High schools across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid exponential growth of the disease.

This comes in the wake of talks among authorities begins on the modalities to consider on the best ways to open up the educational system in a way that does not disrupt the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

All nursery, kindergarten, primary, Junior High School (JHS) 1 and Senior High School (SHS) 1 student have had the rest of their 2019/2020 academic year postponed till January 2021.

This was announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday, August 31, 2020, during his 16th COVID-19 update to Ghanaians.

Brother Johnson in an interview with newsman in Techiman said there is much pressure on the government from parents and some properties to reopen school said should be ignored since some of them think of their parochial interest.

“Yes private school and teachers have suffered greatly since the closure of schools in March, we cannot trade our health for anything, so looking at the situation globally it would be prudent for Ghana Education Service to consider the great impact this decision would have on teachers and students should school reopens during this period, “he told newsmen.

“What measures are in place to avoid possible local/national viral resurgence…? How many teachers and school staff have adequately been trained and resourced to identify and manage symptoms of Covid-19, stigmas and Corona Virus related anxieties suffered by children?” Apostle Johnson who is the CEO of V- Mixture herbal centre quizzed.

Apostle Johnson who is also a former journalist and a health expert said even if it will take about a year before school reopens is in order and charged parents to monitor the movement of their wards this COVID-19 season.

He called on the government to leverage the ongoing discourse about the educational system to engage all teachers in both Private and Public schools in a “mass National ICT education drive by taking advantage of the increased national interest in ICT to equip parents, teachers and children across the country.”