International Journal of Secondary Education

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The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers

Received: 03 August 2020    Accepted: 17 August 2020    Published: 25 August 2020
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Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease is a global pandemic and gradually teachers are beginning to find themselves on the frontline of educational delivery as lots of countries, including Ghana, ease up restrictions and reopen schools. The main aim of this article was to present evidence to validate teachers’ role as frontline workers amid rising cases of COVID-19. Also, we looked at the measures the government put in place prior to the reopening vis-a-vis their adequacy. Again, we examined reasons for the emerging increase in cases of COVID-19 infections among teachers and strategies to overcome this problem. So far, available evidence suggest that about 24% of teachers are being increasingly infected with the novel disease. Major factors accounting for COVID-19 infections among teachers include inadequate preparation before reopening of schools, a lack of understanding of the epidemiology of the disease, unavailability of PPEs, and psychological stress. We, therefore recommend that protection of students, teachers and non-teaching staff should be of topmost priority of the government through the education and training, provision of appropriate incentives, provision of PPEs and the requisite psychological support.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13
Published in International Journal of Secondary Education (Volume 8, Issue 3, September 2020)
Page(s) 96-102
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID-19, Teachers’ Role, Teachers’ Preparation, Infection Among Teachers, Impact of Education, Students’ Indifference

References
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Author Information
  • Department of Educational Studies, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

  • Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

  • Department of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

  • Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

  • Department of Social Science, Catholic University College, Sunyani, Ghana

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Eric Twum Ampofo, Robert Ampomah, Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds, Samuel Ebo Owusu, Michael Opoku-Manu. (2020). The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers. International Journal of Secondary Education, 8(3), 96-102. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13

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    ACS Style

    Eric Twum Ampofo; Robert Ampomah; Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds; Samuel Ebo Owusu; Michael Opoku-Manu. The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers. Int. J. Second. Educ. 2020, 8(3), 96-102. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13

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    AMA Style

    Eric Twum Ampofo, Robert Ampomah, Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds, Samuel Ebo Owusu, Michael Opoku-Manu. The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers. Int J Second Educ. 2020;8(3):96-102. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13,
      author = {Eric Twum Ampofo and Robert Ampomah and Papa Kofi Amissah-Reynolds and Samuel Ebo Owusu and Michael Opoku-Manu},
      title = {The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers},
      journal = {International Journal of Secondary Education},
      volume = {8},
      number = {3},
      pages = {96-102},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsedu.20200803.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsedu.20200803.13},
      abstract = {The novel coronavirus disease is a global pandemic and gradually teachers are beginning to find themselves on the frontline of educational delivery as lots of countries, including Ghana, ease up restrictions and reopen schools. The main aim of this article was to present evidence to validate teachers’ role as frontline workers amid rising cases of COVID-19. Also, we looked at the measures the government put in place prior to the reopening vis-a-vis their adequacy. Again, we examined reasons for the emerging increase in cases of COVID-19 infections among teachers and strategies to overcome this problem. So far, available evidence suggest that about 24% of teachers are being increasingly infected with the novel disease. Major factors accounting for COVID-19 infections among teachers include inadequate preparation before reopening of schools, a lack of understanding of the epidemiology of the disease, unavailability of PPEs, and psychological stress. We, therefore recommend that protection of students, teachers and non-teaching staff should be of topmost priority of the government through the education and training, provision of appropriate incentives, provision of PPEs and the requisite psychological support.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    T1  - The Upsurge of COVID-19 Cases Amidst the Reopening of Schools in Ghana: The Role of Teachers as Frontline Workers
    AU  - Eric Twum Ampofo
    AU  - Robert Ampomah
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    AB  - The novel coronavirus disease is a global pandemic and gradually teachers are beginning to find themselves on the frontline of educational delivery as lots of countries, including Ghana, ease up restrictions and reopen schools. The main aim of this article was to present evidence to validate teachers’ role as frontline workers amid rising cases of COVID-19. Also, we looked at the measures the government put in place prior to the reopening vis-a-vis their adequacy. Again, we examined reasons for the emerging increase in cases of COVID-19 infections among teachers and strategies to overcome this problem. So far, available evidence suggest that about 24% of teachers are being increasingly infected with the novel disease. Major factors accounting for COVID-19 infections among teachers include inadequate preparation before reopening of schools, a lack of understanding of the epidemiology of the disease, unavailability of PPEs, and psychological stress. We, therefore recommend that protection of students, teachers and non-teaching staff should be of topmost priority of the government through the education and training, provision of appropriate incentives, provision of PPEs and the requisite psychological support.
    VL  - 8
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