The Technical University’s Teachers Association of Ghana wants the government to conduct mass testing for COVID-19 for all students and staff at various schools.
According to them, mass testing will go a long way to assure the school community of their safety as schools reopen for teaching and learning.
The National President of TUTAG, Michael Akurugu Brigandi told Citi News that given that there are many instances that make social distancing not possible in schools, such an exercise will to a long way to assure students and teachers that the chances of contracting the virus is minimal.
“No matter how we observe this social distancing and all that, there will be situations that will still trigger some kind of closeness among students and this can endanger the lives of the rest of students and staff as well. So if there is a system that will be put in place such that every student upon arrival is tested, that will help,” he said.
Michael Brigandi argued that given the strain on the finances of the schools due to the outbreak of COVID-19, it will be prudent for the government to bear the full cost of the tests.
“Government can bear the cost because it is the responsibility of government to keep all of us safe. Already the institutions are battling with lack of finances to undertake basic infrastructural development so if we are to add this to the woes of the institutions, when their internally generated funds is dwindling, it will be difficult to do so the government should take up that responsibility,” he added.
TUTAG had earlier urged the government to exercise caution in the reopening of the schools especially as there are large numbers of Senior High School graduates expected to gain admission.
“This is a year of free SHS graduates and that means that we are going to have a lot of students coming into the tertiary institutions so there is the fear that if these institutions should admit much greater numbers than before, or even their full capacities especially with the Coronavirus still around us is very dangerous,” he said in a previous interview.
The post TUTAG calls for mass testing of students to prevent COVID-19 spread appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana.
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