Schools across the country are adhering to the president’s order to close down as a measure to curb the spread of the fast-spreading coronavirus (COVID-19), GhanaWeb can confirm.
A visit by GhanaWeb to some tertiary institutions and basic schools in the region’s capital, Accra, shows that the order given by the president in his address to the nation is being followed with authorities of the schools using various means to implement the order.
At the University of Ghana where a non-resident student has been confirmed as one of the six persons to have contracted the virus in the country, academic activities as of today, Monday March 16, when the ban came into force has been halted.
However, the school as part of measures to contain the spread of the virus and to prevent a contact from the confirmed case from spreading has asked all resident students to remain on campus in the interim for contact tracing.
Speaking to a student of the university she said the decision by management to keep resident students on campus despite the closure is a good idea considering the possibility of a student becoming a risk to the public.
“I think it is safer because deciding to go home and taking a public transport is going to create panic. We think it is safer to stay on campus than to go outside campus.”
A group of foreign students who also spoke to GhanaWeb described the situation as stressful and sad because of the uncertainty that surrounds academic activities for the reminder of the semester.
Other students of the university who have been asked to remain on campus also told GhanaWeb that they are positive about their situation in terms of their safety.
When the GhanaWeb team visited the University of Professional Studies, the university had officially closed down academic activities on campus.
President of the Students Representative Council, Peter Zumah indicated that even though the school has been closed down, academic activities will still continue through the use of electronic platforms.
“The school is officially closed down for now; we are moving on to the e-learning systems. In as much as the school is closed down that doesn’t mean that academics have been shut off. We are still going to learn. Management is putting measure and systems in place so that it doesn’t affect our academics.”
The team also visited the Legon Presby Boys Secondary School and the Accra Girls Senior High School where, as per the directive of the president, all students with the exception of final year students were leaving campus for home.
The president announcing the directive last night, said even though schools are to remain closed for the next four weeks, final year students of senior high and junior high schools are to remain in school to prepare for their upcoming final exam.
At the Presec Cluster of Basic Schools, the team met the presence of only final year students who had closed for the day and were departing from the school’s premises.
Some of the students who spoke to GhanaWeb indicated that their school authorities as a measure to protect them against the virus have decreased the number of students in each class.
The children, however, expressed worry over the proximity of the school to the University of Ghana where a student who recently returned from a foreign trip has tested positive for coronavirus.
“I heard they found someone who tested positive for the virus in Legon (the University of Ghana) and because of that I don’t feel safe. That’s why I have my hand sanitiser with me because it’s always handy.” A final year student told GhanaWeb.
While showing off bottles of hand sanitisers, the students said they are practicing all the recommended safety directives to protect themselves from COVID-19.
