Ho, June 15, GNA – Academic life has returned to tertiary institutions in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region following the partial opening of schools for final year students in tertiary institutions to prepare for their examinations.
Scores of students were spotted at the Ho Technical University (HTU), the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the Evangelical Presbyterian University College campuses when the Ghana News Agency visited Monday morning.
The GNA also saw ‘Veronica buckets’ filled with water, tissue papers, liquid soaps and hand sanitizers placed at vantage points of the campuses to enable students observe the hand washing protocol to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Some students and lecturers were seen in face masks with “NO MASKS, NO ENTRY” written on lecture halls.
A few students who spoke to the GNA said though they were not comfortable returning to school as the Covid-19 case in the country continued to increase, their academic work was also important.
They called on the authorities of the institutions to ensure that adequate preventive measures were put in place against spread of the virus.
Madam Maria Gwira, Director of Public Affairs, UHAS, told GNA that the University was fully prepared for academic work to continue, saying all classrooms, laboratories and offices of the institution had been fumigated in preparation for academic work.
She said the University had taken delivery of some assorted items from the government including infrared thermometer guns, 2,625 hand sanitizers, 7,875 face masks, 30 rolls of tissue paper, 15 Veronica buckets, 30 liquid soap (4.5 litre bottles) to limit the spread of the virus.
Madam Gwira said the items would be distributed to both students and lecturers and other workers in the University to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
She said lectures had resumed immediately and students were expected to wear their masks to the lecture halls, adding that any students who failed to wear his or her mask would not be allowed to enter the hall.
Mr Isaac S. Meyir, Senior Assistant Registrar, In-charge of Public Affairs, HTU, also said the University had put all the necessary protocols in place in lecture halls and the residential halls to ensure the safety of the University family.
He said all lecture halls and residential halls of both students and lecturers had been fumigated as a preventive measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Mr Meyir said both students and lecturers would have to check their temperatures before entering the lecture halls, adding, “any students who refused for his or her temperature to be checked will not be allowed to enter”.
He said any student who failed to comply with the protocols put in place by the authority at their various residential halls would be removed from the hall.
Mr Meyir said the University would be organizing a virtual Covid-19 orientation for the students to prepare them on the Covid-19 situation in the Ho Municipality to enable them appreciate the situation and conduct themselves in a manner that would help prevent spread of the disease.
Mr Meyir said the orientation was also to encourage students comply with safety protocols.
GNA