President of University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, Dr. Samuel Nkumban, has suggested that tertiary institutions in the country reopen in December this year for students to sit for their end-of-first semester exams.
He says that the 2020/2021 academic year can commence but teaching and learning activities should be made to continue online as it was the case during the closure of educational institutions following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in the country.
Dr. Samuel Nkumban says that the delay in allowing for physical classroom engagements will reduce the community spread of university campuses.
The UG-UTAG president was speaking to UniversNews monitored by Talksafrica.com
“I am of the view that the September date is too early for the face to face engagement. If we were to give ourselves a couple months and see the outcomes in relations to the spread then of course some times in December will be more ideal for me so that students can come on campus just to write the exams. That sounds good for me in avoiding any community spread of the virus,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry says that it has no immediate plans to no immediate plans to reopen schools in September for full academic activities.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Mr Benjamin K. Gyasi, speaking at the National Inspectorate Board (NIB) School Establishment and Inspection Policy (SEaIP) Validation Workshop in Accra earlier this month, called for reports suggesting that schools would be reopened next month to be disregarded.
He said “aside from final-year students who are in school, the public should disregard reports going round that all other students would go to school in September,”
“When we get to the bridge we will cross it but we are not there yet. Once we get there, there will be a presidential directive after which the ministry will make the arrangements. But it is not true that we are going to school in September 2020,” he added.
Source:universnewsroom
TalkS Africa 