Final year students of universities, colleges, and other tertiary education institutions are expected to return to campus on today, June 15, to prepare towards their exit examinations. 

They are to begin a six-week period of learning to finish their respective programmes, operating with half their class sizes. 

President Akufo-Addo, updating the nation, on Sunday night, on the Covid-19 pandemic and containment measures, said they would sit for their examinations in a period of four weeks. 

However,  some final year students would not return to school, as they have sat for their examination through virtual means. 

These include students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra. 

"Ahead of the reopening of the institutions, the Government, through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, has disinfected both public and private institutions.

"Also, universities, with their own hospitals and clinics, have been equipped with the necessary personal protective equipment, and have isolation centres to deal with any COVID-19 positive cases. 

"All other institutions, without their own clinics and hospitals, have been mapped to health facilities."

President Akufo-Addo emphasised that there would be no mass gatherings and no sporting activities.

However, religious activities, under the new protocols, would be permitted.

"Social distancing and the wearing of face masks must become the norm on campus," he stated. 

To aid in this effort, the President said, a total of 600,000 face masks had been distributed to the institutions. 

"Every student, teaching, and non-teaching staff is thus entitled to three reusable face masks. Additionally, 1,700 Veronica buckets, 200,000 litres of hand sanitisers, 3,400 litres of liquid soap, and 900 thermometer guns had been distributed. 

"A special logistics team of the Government Committee, chaired by Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo, which is supervising the re-opening of the schools, is responsible for the transportation and distribution of the logistics."

The President said at his Tuesday meeting with the Vice Chancellors of the universities, both public and private,  they pledged their  cooperation to ensure the success of the exercise. 

"Our intention is to secure the lives of the nearly  200,000 students, lecturers, and non-teaching staff, who will be returning to campus from tomorrow, and I appeal to them also to do their bit to help us succeed," the President said. 

"I urge them to adhere to enhanced personal hygiene and social distancing protocols, wash their hands with soap under running water, refrain from shaking hands, and wear their masks to, in and from the lecture halls, and on the campus, generally". 

The regional breakdown of the tertiary educational institutions are as follows: Greater Accra-57, Ashanti-31,Eastern-22, Northern-14 and Central-18.

The rest are; Volta-17,Western-11, Upper East-11,Upper West-11,Bono-14, Ahafo-9, Bono East six,Western North - five ,Oti- three, Savannah- four and North East-one.The final year students of the Senior High schools, with the Second Year Gold Track students; and Junior High finalists would reopen on June 22 and June 29, respectively.GNABAS 15 June 2020