Government has ordered all schools to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 safety protocols as second-year students return to school to resume the academic year.

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has assured parents and guardians that safety protocols would be strictly adhered to in order to avoid an outbreak of the virus in schools.

He mentioned that school authorities would have to ensure that the second-year students follow religiously the safety protocols just as the final year students had done.

Upon a visit to some Senior High School by JoyNews, boarding students were seen reporting to school quite early in their face masks.

Security men at Kumasi Secondary Technical School took the temperature of students and visitors before allowing them access into the school.

Veronica buckets were seen at vantage points while students were given hand sanitizers and nose masks for their protection.

Other schools including Opoku Ware and Anglican SHS were also seen observing the same safety protocols.

Deputy Education Minister, Dr Adutwum says government had learnt from its experience earlier this year with the final year JHS and SHS students and has instituted measures to ensure the safety of all students.

He said: “I think the interesting thing is that protocol observance in schools is on the higher side because authority figures are there, so I think in schools, the protocols will be better observed than at home.

“So I am excited to see that the president has given permission for form 2s to come to school and they are coming. And I think the good news is that when they come headmasters are going to do what they did even with the final year students when the virus was at its peak.”

In some basic schools including Rock of Ages International and Asem Boys JHS, classes were in session.

Students at the JHS and SHS levels were glad to be back in school as they would have a suitable environment to study.

One student said: “I feel very delighted to be back in school because I can learn. When we were in the house I didn’t get much time to learn.”

Another said: “When we were at home, we used to learn but there are some subjects like science and social studies that need explanation by teachers.”

But some proprietors of private schools say the government will have to open the school for all Junior High School students to keep them in business.

“It is very difficult to run the school with just proceeds from JHS 2 students I have 8 teachers and other staff to pay with the money we’ll make from them. We were expecting over 40 students, but only 28 reported today as you see we’re observing the protocols very well and we can do same with all the JHS classes,” he said.