President Akufo-Addo re-opens tertiary institutions

President Nana Akufo-Addo has permitted the re-opening of tertiary institutions to receive continuing students, easing more restrictions imposed to address the spread of coronavirus.

Students can resume August 24, the president has announced in his 15th address to the nation as the number of active coronavirus cases continue to drop.

The re-opening would mark about five months since the government closed all schools in March after Ghana recorded its first two cases.

Following the closure of tertiary institutions, several of them resorted to online teaching and learning to trudge through the academic year.

The president acknowledged the completion of studies in universities through this means but also pointed to some exceptions.

He said schools such as the University of Cape Coast, the University of Health and Allied Sciences and  technical universities and other colleges.

“After extensive stakeholder consultations, the decision has been taken for continuing students in these tertiary institutions to return to school, on 24th August, to complete their academic year,” he declared.

While announcing a re-opening date for tertiary institutions, first and second cycle schools continue to remain closed with the exception of final year students sitting exams.

President Akufo-Addo directed that there should be no mass gatherings or sporting activities on campus. But he allowed religious activities.

The president said tertiary institutions are to adhere to the covid-19 safety protocols, including the wearing of mask, regular handwashing and use of sanitisers while maintaining social distancing rules.

After months of strategizing to contain the deadly virus, the president continued to hammer on the theme of progress in the country’s fight.

Ghana continues to make significant progress in its fight against the pandemic as the active cases last Thursday dropped to 1,906 from a previous 2,007 on Wednesday.

According to Ghana Health Service, it follows the clinical recovery and discharge of a total of 39,718 persons.

In addition to declining active cases, he said Ghana has cleared its backlog of test results and is now able to provide results within 48 hours.

He said those who claim that the government has lost the fight could only make a “baseless assertion” for the sake of “political expediency.”

The president maintained the closure of beaches, pubs and night clubs.

But he dropped the biggest hint on the re-opening of the airports. He said the government was testing the practicality of re-opening September 1.