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Re-open schools gradually—CRI
The Executive Director of Child Rights International (CRI), Mr Bright Appiah, has called on the government to hasten slowly in its decision to re-open schools on the mass level.
According to him, the government should adopt a gradual approach where final year students due for exams should first be allowed to resume classes as a test case for broader school re-opening.
Additionally, students who were due for their turn on the double tracking system must also be allowed to resume school since they have a backlog of activities to undertake.
In the meantime, Mr Appiah said all nursery and kindergartens schools should remain closed indefinitely whiles the government focuses on developing more online programmes for parents to take up that role.
“Corporate institutions must make it a deliberate policy for more parents to spent time with their children. More so, the government should engage the work of social workers to periodically do home visits,” he said in a statement issued and copied the Ghanaian Times.
Mr Appiah said, these measures would give the government the enabling environment to have a broader picture of how re-opening school on the mass level would be.
“By so doing, the government would have gotten to know how to handle and assess the impact of re-opening schools on the mass level. This is the only way to halt any decision that might spell doom for the country’s educational sector,” he said
He said the state must bear in mind that any wrong approach could spell doom for children and Ghana’s attempt to contain the coronavirus disease.
He said although CRI was not entirely against the re-opening of schools, it would be needful to undertake the process gradually, beginning with final year students.
Per Mr Appiah’s assertion, it would be beneficial and wise to begin the steps of re-opening school starting with final year students at the Junior and Senior High School level.
“CRI believes that the government should first allow those who are due for examination to go back to school following the protocols of social distancing and any other precautionary measures laid down by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) against the coronavirus,” he said in the statement.
Mr Appiah said there must be a collaboration between GHS and schools in rolling out any measures to re-open schools.
Mr Appiah said as the country’s coronavirus case stood, it would be disadvantageous for nursery, kindergarten, primary and continuing students to be allowed to go back to school, adding that schools must be closed to these categories of students.
News
GBBF assistant treasurer, Aurora Commodore-Toppar eyes GOC Treasure slot at Elective Congress on Saturday
The Assistant treasurer of the Ghana Basketball Federation (GBBF), Madam Aurora Commodore-Toppar, has set her sights on becoming the next assistant treasurer of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) at the upcoming Elective Congress on Saturday.
The daughter of the former Chief Executive Officer of Accra Hearts of Oak, Mr. Emmanuel Martey Commodore-Mensah, will be vying for the position against Bernard Quartey of the Ghana Boxing Federation and Edward Patrick Nii Lante Banerman of the Handball Association of Ghana.
Having had her nomination approved by the GOC’s Electoral Commission, the well-seasoned banker, with over 15 years of rich working experience, believes she is well-suited and positioned to help structure the finances of this esteemed organisation.
In a chat with Spectator Sports, the captain of the bronze-winning 2024 University of Ghana basketball team at the 11th African University Games in Zaire, Nigeria, revealed her commitment to effective and accurate financial management, growth, and development of all associated sports federations.
She said, “I am committed to the growth of the GOC, and I want to offer my financial knowledge to aid in ensuring that the GOC operates with the highest standards of financial governance and set-up.”
According to her, the mission is to help promote the GOC’s agenda widely, and having served for over two decades in sports—especially basketball—in various capacities and roles, she believes this experience will help protect the GOC’s finances.
“If elected as assistant treasurer, I will do my utmost, together with the treasurer, to manage the GOC’s finances, including accounting and financial reporting among others,” she added.
According to her, “Accurate financial record-keeping has been a problem across the board; I will help eradicate this issue.”
Aurora Commodore-Toppar stands for transparency, hard work, and an inclusive work culture, she further added.
The former Aburi Girls’ Secondary School basketball team captain has played pivotal roles in improving sports in the country—especially basketball—including being a member of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2023 Africa Games, an LOC member for the recently concluded Hoop Rave SHS competition, a project lead for FIBA’s “Her World, Her Rules” initiative, chair for the 2024 Fetu Afahye Basketball Tournament, and founder of the Stomp De Yard Basketball Tournament, among others.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
News
113 Cardinals hold 3rd General Congregation in Rome
The 113 Cardinals present in Rome held the third General Congregation on Thursday morning, and announced who will deliver the two pre-conclave meditations.
The Cardinals decided that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández will celebrate the Mass on the sixth day of the Novemdiales, instead of Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
They agreed that Fr. Donato Ogliari, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Paul Outside the Walls, will deliver the first meditation on Monday, and that Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher Emeritus of the Papal Household, will deliver the second meditation at the beginning of the conclave, whose starting date has not yet been decided.
The Cardinals began a conversation about the Church and the world, deciding to hold the next General Congregation on Friday morning at 9:00 AM.
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that 61,000 people have paid their respects to the late Pope Francis as of 1:00 PM on Thursday, adding that St. Peter’s Basilica should close at midnight on Thursday, unless large crowds are still queuing to enter.
Following the Pope’s funeral on Saturday, April 26, a Rosary will be held in front of the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Saturday at 9:00 PM.
Mr. Bruni said the burial service for Pope Francis will take place in private.
Starting the morning of Sunday, April 27, the faithful may begin to visit the tomb of Pope Francis at the Marian Basilica.
