The Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, yesterday swerved listeners of radio who were expecting him to talk about the National Democratic Congress (NDC) running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
Dr. Prempeh who was on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show hosted by Kwame Sefa Kayi, would not venture into anything politics and spoke solely on COVID-19 to the disappointment of listeners.
The NDC running mate was the last Minister of Education under the John Dramani Mahama administration and has been the reference point of Dr. Prempeh on certain occasions.
An indication that COVID-19 was crucial than politicking, the Manhyia South MP, who was isolated at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) days before testing positive of COVID-19, used the platform to educate Ghanaians on the dreaded bug.
Sharing his harrowing experience, he said that it was quite unfortunate that some persons are playing politics with the COVID-19.
“Kwame, certain personalities are counting how many persons have contracted the virus on tweeter and other social media platforms because they don’t appreciate the problem at hand,’’ he said.
Dr. Prempeh said: ‘’No one should even wish the greatest enemy should have COVID-19. One thing that I know for sure is that the virus is deadly and does not know anyone so let us be careful’’.
Dr. Prempeh revealed that mass testing of staff at the Ministry of Education proved that some of the staff members are positive and been isolated and being treated.
He said that before the test was run of the ministry staff, nobody showed symptoms of COVID-19, an indication that it was not always that persons with COVID-19 would show the symptoms.
Touching on happenings within various second cycle institutions, he said it was unfortunate that there were lots of scaremongering on the schools.
In his estimation, students in schools were more secured and that the calls for schools to close down on the final year students were uncalled for.
“Adequate measures were put in place and there are places for isolation and quarantine as well as where the schools can call in the event of an emergency,’’ he said.
Dr. Prempeh said that the students in the second cycle institutions are well secured and protected because they are not allowed to get in touch with people from outside.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) in announcing the partial reopening of schools for final year students at all levels came out with stringent measures and protocols to ensure the safety of students, teachers and other educational workers.
The Minister of Education said that the measures put in place before the partial reopening is still in force to ensure the safety of all.