A teacher has disclosed that during the lock down that resulted from the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, students in public schools could not resort to online platforms for teaching and learning.

Sabina Baffour Mensah, a Junior High School teacher, said there was no way public schools could have held online classes.

"Where will you get that online for a public school? There was nothing like that," she said on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Tuesday

The Show was held to mark World Teachers Day today under the theme, “Teachers wanted: Reclaiming teaching and learning for human-centred recovery”.

On Sunday, March 15, 2020, in President Akufo-Addo's update on the measures taken by his government to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus, he ordered the closure of schools and universities in Ghana.

“All universities, Senior High Schools and Basic Schools, i.e. public and private, will be closed from Monday, March 16 until further notice,” the President said.

Even though educational institutions were closed at the time, pre-tertiary students who had already registered for basic and secondary school exams were allowed to attend revision classes.

“BECE [Basic Education Certificate Examination] and WASSCE [West African Secondary School Certificate Examination] candidates will be allowed to attend school to prepare for their examinations but with the required social distancing protocols,” the President announced.

The President further asked school authorities to ensure that these classes are conducted in hygienic conditions with appropriate “social distancing” between attendees.

The Show was held in commemoration of National Teachers Day which was marked

Sabina disclosed that in her school, what they did was to visit the homes of their students to tutor them.

"Few teachers in primary were called to visit homes of pupils to teach. Some were doing that," she said.

With the free education policy posing challenges related to high student enrollment, she said that managing the student population is a challenge.

"My Form 1 class is 93 in one classroom. Form 2 is around 89 and Form 3 is also 89. We are in one class. It’s not A and B. It’s one class combined. Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, that’s enrollment in one classroom. Teachers are doing very well. We’re doing great."

She therefore pleaded with government to listen to their pleas.