Schools Reopening: Hundreds yet to register at the University of Ghana

Some first-year and returning students of the University of Ghana can now heave a sigh of relief as issues surrounding their accommodation on campus are being addressed.

According to authorities, despite the number of people in rooms remaining the same, there are measures in place to ensure that all COVID-19 safety protocols are being adhered to and enforced.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 21st address to the nation directed for all schools to resume later this month in the wake of a 9-month long halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Over a period, the University of Ghana has had difficulties in securing accommodation for its students as a result of an imbalance in the growing student population and lack of available rooms.

GhanaWeb on Tuesday, January 12 visited some halls on the University of Ghana-Legon campus to witness how the registration process for students was ongoing.

The news team noted some students in long queues at banks, new and returning students reporting to their various halls with their luggage and school and hall administrators registering students.

Head of the Hilla Limann Hall, Dr Rosina Kyeremanten, in an interview with GhanaWeb recounted the registration process was rather hectic on Monday, January 11 due to the influx of returning and new students.

“In my hall for instance, we’ve been able to register over 700 first year students out of about the 1,000 spaces we’ve made available for them…So yesterday was quite busy but we’ve been able to marshal ourselves and given accommodation to most of them,” Dr Kyeremanten said.

Dr Rosina Kyeremanten assured parents and wards of the university of its commitment to ensuring the campus was safe for teaching and learning while adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols.

Despite the situation being the same for other adjoining halls, the circumstances were different at the Jubilee Hall and Akuafo Hall of the university.

There was a large number of students at the entrance of the halls still trying to get registered for their accommodation with management indicating related issues are being addressed.

Meanwhile, some parents last week declared they will not vacate the premises of the university until issues surrounding their wards' accommodation are remedied.

This came after some students who earlier secured accommodation by paying the mandatory fees through the university’s online portal complained they had lost their rooms.