The Ghana Education Service has refuted claims by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) that they were not consulted before the January 2021 re-opening date for pre-tertiary schools was set.

Dr Anthony Boateng said stakeholders including the Association of Private Schools were engaged at every stage of decision making, therefore, their claim cannot be true.

"The decision on schools reopening in January or some students returning to school in January, was taken in a consultative approach including the Ghana National Association of Private Schools," he said Monday on the Super Morning Show.

This comes after claims by the Association of Private Schools that government did not consult them before setting a date for the re-opening of schools.

The Association was pushing for schools to be re-opened in the month of September, however, their hopes were dashed after President Akufo-Addo announced January 2021 as the new date for the re-opening of pre-tertiary schools.

In a statement, the Association expressed shock over the decision as they indicated that GES had requested for their inputs by September 3, however, government proceeded to set a date before the said deadline, and without their input.

But reacting to this on the Super Morning Show, Dr Boateng vehemently opposed the claims, insisting that the association was consulted before the decision was made.

"We don't deal with individual schools and like I said, GNAPS was fully consulted," he said.

Government Sunday paved way for second year Junior High and Senior High School students to resume school and complete the academic year after nearly six months of closure of schools.

This, government explained forms part of measures taken to open up sectors of the economy while mitigating the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the country.