COVID-19 spread at break in schools: Preventive suggestions to consider

How to prevent COVID-19 spread at break in schools needs to engage the attention of GES and all stakeholders.

It is important that every school has hand sanitizers, a constant supply of water, and veronica buckets for observing the safety protocols. 

Each school needs at least one thermometer gun for observing the temperature of learners and staff. 

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Preventing the spreading of COVID-19 during break periods in schools

Break times in school can pose danger to the school community in this covid-19 ear.  Preventing the likely spread of COVID-19 during break periods must engage the attention of schools. 

During breaks in between lessons, nearly every student or pupil may have to their snack or launch. This means learners have to remove their nose masks before eating. Learners and staff who may have contracted COVID-19 but are yet to show signs can easily infect others at this period if we do not maintain adequate physical distance.

Just in case a student/ canteen staff or any other person within the school environment is infected with covid-19, unregulated break periods, nonobservation of physical distancing at canteens, queues during break may pose a danger.

COVID-19 spread at break in schools How to manage, control, and maintain physical distance

Besides all safety protocols, schools may consider the following.

1. To succeed, teachers may be mapped to the school environment to ensure they supervise learners. Constant education and reminding learners to observe protocols must be done.
2. Instead of one break time for all levels, we should arrange school breaks such that students and pupils have their breaks in batches. For example, In a typical school where there are pupils from crèche to JHS 3.
3. Pupils in Pre-school up to KG2 should have a separate break period. We must do the same for Basic 1 – 3, Basic 4-6, and JHS 1-3.

This may be difficult to implement if there is no internally planned approach. 

Its application would also require some classes to continue with the next lesson by shifting the break forward.

Learners in lower classes may have their breaks earlier, whiles those in the JHS department have their breaks last.

For those in Senior High School, SHS2 Green track students and SHS3 students may have separate breaks when they report to school on 18th January 2021.

The SHS2 Gold Track students and their SHS1 counterparts will be reporting to school on 10th March 2021. 

The same break system can be implemented for them. SHS1 students may be permitted to have their breaks ahead of the Gold Track SHS2 students.

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It will take leadership, sacrifice, and commitment on the part of teachers, heads of schools to implement anything close to this. 

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Source: Ghanaeducation.org