Relocate to campus, UG to internet-challenged students as e-learning continues

The University of Ghana has announced that it will continue with the remainder of the academic work for the second semester online as earlier planned despite President Nana Akufo-Addo’s easing of the COVID-19 restrictions to allow final-year students to go back to school.

Announcing the easing of the restrictions on Sunday, 31 May 2020, President Akufo-Addo said: “From Monday, 15 June 2020, the decision has been taken, after engagement with the Teacher Unions, whose co-operation I salute, to re-open schools and universities to allow for final-year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations.

“Indeed, final-year university students are to report to their universities on 15th June; final-year senior high school (SHS 3) students, together with SHS 2 Gold Track students, on 22nd June; and final-year junior high school (JHS 3) students on 29th June. JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of thirty (30) students; SHS classes a maximum of twenty-five (25) students, and University lectures will take place with half the class sizes”.

“All final-year students of educational and training institutions, which are being managed by Ministries other than the Education Ministry, are to return to school on 15th June to complete their exit examinations”.

However, in a press statement issued on Wednesday, 3 June 2020 by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the University said its “ongoing Online Teaching and Learning Programme for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year will progress as planned. Therefore, examinations for all students, including final-year students, scheduled to commence from June 8, 2020, to July 3, 2020, will proceed as originally planned”.

It said: “Arrangements are being made to receive registered final-year students who may wish to relocate to the campuses of the University to make use of on-campus resources from June 15, 2020, till July 3, 2020, which is the end of the examination period”.

“All final-year students who were unable to participate in the Online Teaching and Learning Programme, are expected back on campus from June 15, 2020. Make-up lessons will be from June 22, 2020 to July 10, 2020. Final examinations will be from July 18 to August 1, 2020”, the statement noted.