Vice-Chancellor of UMat Meets Final Year Students to Welcome them back to Campus
The Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Prof J. S. Y. Kuma has held a meeting with the final year students of the University shortly after their arrival on campus.
The meeting took the students through the COVID-19 protocols as they come back to Campus to finish their studies and write their examinations for a period of 5 weeks. Final year students of all tertiary institutions in Ghana resumed on Monday, 15th June, 2020 to complete their studies and exit examinations.
Prof Kuma informed the students that veronica buckets, liquid soap and tissue paper have been placed at all entry points of the University and all lecture halls where all students were expected to wash hands before entering the lecture halls.
He also indicated that infrared thermometer guns have also been kept at security check points to check temperatures. Additionally, each student will get three nose masks and a bottle of sanitizer. These items, he said, were part of a consignment of PPEs provided to the University by the Government.
The UMaT Screening Team Ready for the Students
Prof Kuma further urged the students not to be rude to security men who would be checking their temperatures, adding that it was for their own good.
The Vice Chancellor cautioned every student to strictly adhere to these protocols including social distancing, the use of face masks and alcohol-based hand sanitizers, so that they could go home physically and medically strong after their short stay on campus. He added that social distancing should not only be practiced at the lecture halls but also at the various halls of residence and while walking with colleagues. This is because some people may have the virus, but because they are asymptomatic it will be difficult to notice.
Prof Kuma disclosed that, the Gold Refinery Hall of the University has been prepared as a holding or isolation center, so that in case one contracts the virus, the person will be safely kept there for the Municipal Response Team to take over the treatment.
Dr Darko Making His Presentation
As part of the welcome ceremony for the final years, the Head of the Rapid Response Team in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Dr Joseph Darko was invited to throw more light on COVID-19 and what the students were expected to do to stay safe within the period they would be staying on Campus. Dr Darko commended the University for putting a place in readiness as an isolation center and other the precautionary measures put in place to ensure that students were safe. He urged Management to ensure that the names and contacts of all students were kept during lectures on daily basis in order to help in contact tracing in case there were any reported cases of the virus among students.
The Public Health Nurse of Apinto Government Hospital, Mrs Sabina Tannoh sensitised the students on the dangers of stigmatisation and advised the students to guard against stigmatising people who may have been infected with COVID-19 but recovered. She charged the students to begin sensitising their friends and family against stigmatisation.
In an address to the students, Prof Kuma indicated to the students that UMaT had put in place stringent precautionary measures to ensure that no student was infected with COVID-19 after the completion of their studies and examinations during the period they would be on Campus. He appealed to them to be alert at all times so that they will not contract the virus in their short stay on campus.
A Student Asking a Question
The Dean of Students, Assoc Prof Bernard Kumi-Boateng also admonished the students not to flout the rules and regulations of the University during this short stay on campus. According to him, no student will be allowed to travel out of campus without seeking permission from the Dean.
Present at the meeting were the Pro Vice Chancellor, Assoc Prof V. A. Temeng, the Registrar, Mr M. K. Okrah, the SRC President, Mr Otchere Kwamena Andoh and other Senior Members of staff.