Management of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has resolved to go ahead with its planned online teaching and learning for the rest of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.
This is despite the easing of the COVID-19 induced restrictions for schools to partially re-open.
The school in a statement after an emergency meeting between its academic board and the Student Representative Council (SRC) on Thursday, June 4, 2020, said the decision was arrived at following concerns over the possible spread of the coronavirus among students.
“The existing arrangements for on-line teaching and assessment for continuing and final year students, as agreed at an Emergency Academic Board Meeting held on 4th May 2020, (for the rest of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year), should hold. This is in consideration of the fact that more than 80% of assignments and project work which would be used as an assessment for the end of second-semester examinations, have already been completed and submitted for marking. All online assignments and assessments should be completed by 30th June 2020â€, school authorities said.
However, students who may have difficulty in accessing the online facilities have been given the option to re-locate to campus from June 15-30, 2020.
Such students have been asked to contact their Heads of Department through their class representatives.
MPhil and PhD students will have their oral examination and defence via Zoom.
Meanwhile, the University says its COVID-19 team will ensure that adequate safety measures will be instituted while students who return to the school are examined.
Other directives for medical students
Sixth Year clinical students of the Schools of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) and Veterinary Medicine should report on 15th June 2020.
They will be accommodated at the Clinical Students Hostel at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital while 6th-year final students of the School of Veterinary Medicine will be accommodated at the SRC Hostel on campus.
The students will be required to take an abridged examination, consisting of theory and clinical assessments which will be organized in small groups, in compliance with the protocol on social distancing.
The assessment will be for a maximum period of three weeks after which the fifth years will report for their session.
Final year university students to go back to school
University students in their final year are expected to resume school on Monday, June 15, 2020.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 10th televised address, announced the reopening of schools for final year students only to prepare and enable them to take their exit examinations.
University lectures will take place with half the class sizes.
But, foreign tertiary students who are outside the country and are identified will be allowed to return granted their country will allow them to exit.