Education Minister announces special plans for foreign students

The Minister for Education Matthew Opoku Prempeh has announced a special plan for foreign students who are currently outside the country.

The President on May 31, 2020, in his 10th Covid-19 address, announced the reopening of schools in the country for the final year students at all levels.

He explained this is to allow them to prepare and write their exit examinations.

University final year students will go back to school on June 15, SHS will do same on June 22 and JHS will resume classes on June 29.

READ ALSO: Universities to use 6 weeks to prepare for final exams - Minister directs 

There were questions raised about how foreign students will be able to return to the country since our borders have been closed indefinitely.

Mr Opoku Prempeh speaking at a press conference on June 2, 2020, said there is a special plan to ensure all foreign students arrive in the country to continue their education.

"There is a group of foreign students, all the Universities have already done some virtual classes and foreigners are participating and we have discussed that with the Vice Chancellors. If there are foreign students who escaped the lockdown, we have requested that their passport details will be forwarded to us by the Vice-Chancellors and the National Council for Tertiary Education and that if they can fly back, they will be allowed by immigration but will be quarantined for two weeks"

Akufo-Addo speaking on adherence measure of the Covid-19 safety protocols on May 31 said the class size for JHS student should be 30, SHS 25 and Universities will run half the class size.

He also announced that there will be a fumigation exercise at all schools before resumption.

“Prior to the opening of schools and universities, the Ministry of Education, and the heads of public and private educational institutions, will fumigate and disinfect their institutions. Each student, teacher, and non-teaching staff will be provided with re-usable face masks by the Ministry of Education,” said President Akufo-Addo. “For the avoidance of doubt, all other educational facilities, private and public, for non-final year students, will remain closed

He has also called on school authorities to fumigate and disinfect their classrooms before classes begin.