School Reopen: Foreign Students To Be Flown Back To Ghana - GES Director-Gen Discloses

As tertiary institutions reopen for final year students, there are concerns over foreign students who as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, returned to their home countries.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Sunday May, 31, 2020, eased restrictions on public gatherings and permitted schools across the country to reopen for only final year students.

This is the first phase of easing the restrictions as the President assured Ghanaians he will gradually roll out in phases how the nation will return to normality following the pandemic disease.

Some foreign students are said to have gone back to their countries but since the Universities are now open, they would have to join their colleagues to prepare for their final examinations.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, urged the foreign students not to be overly-concerned about the issue saying the GES and the Education Ministry are in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Service to arrange flights for them to return to their various campuses.

According to Professor Opoku-Amankwa, all Universities have been asked to provide a list of names as well as detailed information on the foreign students who are not in Ghana.

He however stated that although arrangements are being made for the foreign students to come back, the challenge will be if their respective countries would allow them to fly out to Ghana.

Professor Opoku-Amankwa noted, in this case, the Universities are to beef up their distance learning to benefit the students who are unable to physically return to the campuses.

"Firstly, the Universities are to provide us with information on those people who traveled from the country. When they find the people, we will devise plans together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Service, giving them their names and passport numbers, for them to return back to the country but the challenge will be if their country's laws prevent the person from traveling. In such case, the Universities have to beef up their distance learning to benefit all those people and avoid any challenges," he said.