Following the confirmation of two COVID-19 cases in Ghana on Thursday, many schools and colleges in the country have moved to prevent a possible spread of the global pandemic.

While some institutions have suspended classes, others have banned all public gatherings on their campuses.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has also engaged schools and health authorities to deliberate on the way forward to limit a possible spread of the virus.

We present below a brief outlook of the actions taken on the education front across the country in the wake of coronavirus scare.

University of Cape Coast

University of Cape Coast (UCC) was the first to take a major step to prevent the spread of the disease even before the two cases were confirmed by the Ghana Health Service.

The university has banned all international conferences on its campuses as part of measures to tackle a possible spread of coronavirus.

The move follows the declaration of the outbreak as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA)

Then following the announcement on Thursday, March 12, 2020, that two there are two confirmed cases, the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) shut down elevators in a move to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Charles Barnor, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the institution said, "All lifts have been shut down and we have de-densified all public places on campus."

Ghana International School (GIS)

The Ghana International School (GIS) has also announced that it will close down effectively from Friday, March 13, after the school day has ended.

In a memo to parents and staff of the school Friday, the Principal, Dr Mary Ashun, announced, that the School "will CLOSE at the end of the School Day today, 13th March 2020 at 3:30 pm for the next two weeks till 27th March 2020.”

The German-Swiss International School located at the Nima residential area in Accra also closed down on Friday.

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), based in Kumasi, has rolled out measures to prevent a possible spread of the virus by banning all international conferences.

Management of the school in a statement released on Friday banned all gatherings on campus until further notice.

Schools to receive hand sanitizers

The Ghana Education Service has announced plans to distribute hand sanitizers to public schools across the country after a meeting with the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

A joint communiqué released also stated that educational materials, jointly developed by the GES and GHS will be widely circulated to schools to facilitate education about the disease at that level.

In another release, the GES directed heads of schools to suspend all activities that require large gatherings.

University of Ghana

The University of Ghana has also outlined a tall list of measures to prevent and contain a possible outbreak on the campuses of the University.

The measures, according to the premier university, takes immediate effect and will be periodically modified to keep up with evolving trends of the pandemic.

“Until further notice, hall week celebrations are suspended with immediate effect.  Similarly, other large student gatherings are suspended forthwith. In exceptional cases, clearance for large gatherings must be sought from the Office of the Pro-VC, ASA,” the university said in a statement.

University of Education, Winneba

The University of Education, Winneba has, among others, come out with the following directives as precautionary measures against the pandemic:

All non-academic gatherings such as Awards Nights, Dinners and other outdoor events are hereby suspended.

All planned academic and non-academic excursions outside the University are suspended.

All international travels by members of the University community have been put on hold.

All international events scheduled to be hosted by the University have been put on hold.

Read a full list of the directives issued by the UEW here.