Continuing students of technical universities, the University of Cape Coast (UCC), University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and other tertiary institutions will return to school to finish up the academic year on Monday, 24 August 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced.
President Akufo-Addo made the announcement during his Sunday, 16 August 2020 delivery of the COVID-19 updates.
Following the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 schools across the country, the universities were shut down as part of measures to prevent further spread of the virus in the country.
While some tertiary institutions across the country continued the academic year via e-learning and completed the academic year, others were unable to do so.
The reopening is, thus, to allow those institutions that were unable to finish the academic year to complete is.
President Akufo-Addo noted in his address that: “Through online learning portals, almost all continuing students in our universities have completed their studies for the academic year with the exception of the University of Cape Coast, University of Health and Allied Sciences, technical universities and some other colleges.”
President Akufo-Addo continued: “After extensive stakeholder consultations, the decision has been taken for continuing students of these tertiary institutions to return to school on 24th August to finish their academic year.”
The President also disclosed that all tertiary institutions across the country will be disinfected.
“Just as was done for final-year students who returned to school, government through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service will ensure that all these tertiary institutions are disinfected.”
The government announced the reopening of schools for final-year students, as part of its first phase of opening up the country after restrictions were imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Effective Monday, 15 June 2020, schools and universities were reopened to allow final-year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations.
President Akufo-Addo announced this in a televised address to the nation on Sunday, 31 May 2020.
Final-year university students reported on 15 June, final-year SHS students together with SHS 2 gold track students on 22 June and final-year JHS students on 29 June.
JHS 3 classes were to comprise a maximum of 30 students, SHS classes a maximum of 25 students and university lectures were directed to take place with half the class size.
All others were to remain home.
Final-year SHS students are, however, still in school sitting their West Africa Senior School Certificate Exams (WASSCE) while final-year JHS students are yet to begin their Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).