Educational consultancy, Neogenics Education Group is proposing a restart of the 2019/2020 academic year.

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.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) in a letter hinted of stakeholder consultation to provide President Akufo-Addo with measures towards a possible reopening of all basic and senior high schools across the country, weeks after the closure of these institutions through an Executive Instrument.

The consideration by has been received with fierce criticism by some teacher unions across the country.

The group, which works with over 500 private schools and 5,000 private school teachers in Ghana outlined ten points questioned which they believe begged for answers if the possibility of opening up schools is to see the light of day.

“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?” it quizzed.

In a statement signed by Lead Consultant Grant Bulmuo, the group said “the current academic 2019/2020 academic year should be annulled and all children made to have a fresh start in September by repeating their current year/class.”

This recommendation encapsulates basic schools to the second-cycle institutions.

According to the Consult, “a child’s absence from school experience has a significant impact on their future successes and life chances.”

Neogenics Education Group also explained that the country’s children would have been absent from active learning for nearly 50 schools days by end of May, a development that they believe erodes arguments advanced for the continuation of the year’s lesson as most of the information learnt may have been forgotten.

“Research shows that eight days of absence from school reduces a child’s best chance of success by 4%, 19 days by 10%, 29 days by 15%, 38 days by 20% and 48 days by 25%,” the statement released on May 19 further cited.

The group also called on 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.”