The Dungu campus of the University for Development Studies has reopened as directed by President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Citi News’ visit to the campus revealed a strict screening of some students and lecturers at the main entrance of the university.
Persons without nose masks were not allowed to enter the campus.
Also, Veronica buckets and hand washing materials have been mounted at the entrance to the various faculties.
According to the registrar of the university, Dr. A.B.T Zakariah, management has put in place all required safety measures.
“In terms of our general preparedness, we have had some meetings with our security staff and the staff at the university clinic, all the university clinics. We have spoken to them and they are going to help us to ensure that all the protocols are adhered to. They are small clinics, they are not very big ones, we are aware that we are constrained in terms of that but we have still managed to allocate one room each in the clinics for the purpose of handling these issues. For the security people, if you don’t wear a mask; whether you are a student or staff, you will not be allowed into the campus. Veronica buckets have been placed at the security points and we also have hand sanitizers there as well. That is what we have done so far.”
Some students who have returned to Campus speaking to Citi News said they were satisfied with the measures put in place but would have been happy if all students had been tested before being let back to school.
“With regards to the safety measures kept in place, it is really impressive, and I really applaud the school for that, but my scare is that we don’t get tested before coming back to campus. I am worried about it because most of us are coming from Accra, Kumasi and other places that we know the disease is getting high there.”
“We are very safe because as you can see at the entrance when you are coming in, there are a lot of measures put in place to protect us. When you get there, they will take you through washing your hands with the water that has been provided, they will also give you hand sanitizer for your hands. And when you come in they will make sure you are wearing your face mask. And all the protocols have been put in place, so we are very safe,” another student said.
President Akufo-Addo in his 10th televised address to the nation on May 31, 2020, announced the partial resumption of academic activities with the appropriate enhanced safety protocols.
Per the announcement, Universities in Ghana are to reopen today, Monday, June 15, 2020, to enable final year students to prepare and write their exit examinations.
Senior High Schools and Junior High Schools will subsequently reopen on June 22 and 29 respectively to only final year students to enable them to prepare and write their final examinations.
Government supplies PPE to tertiary institutions
The government over the weekend made available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and logistics to 234 universities in the country.
Addressing journalists in Accra, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the 234 tertiary institutions which are dotted across the country will benefit from the logistics.
The Minister said over 1,700 veronica buckets, over 200,000 two hundred ML units of hand sanitizers, and over 3,400 packets of soap and another 3,400 packets of tissue are being distributed.
“About 900 thermometers are also going to all of these schools in addition to the disinfection and other exercises that are going on there,” he added.
