Click for 28/03/2022 Update on Easing of Restrictions
Click for 1/12/2021 Update on Campus Reopening
Click for 25/11/2021 Update on Campus Reopening
Click for 12/07/2021 Update on Campus Reopening
Click for 27/01/2021 Update on COVID-19 Testing for Ashesi Community
Click for 9/12/2020 Update on Semester Two of 2020/2021 Academic Year
Click for 30/11/2020 Update on Semester Two of 2020/2021 Academic Year
Click for 3/08/2020 Update on Semester One of 2020/2021 Academic Year
Click for 1/06/2020 Update Following Partial Reopening of Schools
Click for 16/03/2020 Update Following Government Announcement
Click for 15/03/2020 Update on Pausing of Classes
Click for 13/03/2020 Update on New Guidance
Click for 05/03/2020 Update on Preliminary Precautions
28/03/2022 Update on Easing of Restrictions
Dear Ashesi Community,
On March 27th, the President of Ghana shared an update on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country. You can watch the entire broadcast here.
Following this broadcast, Ashesi University is adjusting our campus restrictions as follows:
- Masks are no longer mandatory on campus but are recommended. If a faculty member requires masks to be worn in his/her class, students must do so. We are requiring this to ensure extra protection for faculty members who may still need to be cautious.
- Vaccinations will still be required for all members of our community who are working, studying, or living on campus.
- Guests who visit campus without proof of vaccination must wear a mask for the duration of their entire visit.
We are stepping into a post-pandemic world that allows us to recreate the norms and campus life we have been used to at Ashesi. We encourage all community members to join in ongoing efforts to recapture and reimagine Ashesi's culture within this context, while practicing common-sense protocols to ensure we stay safe. We will continue to monitor any incidences of COVID-19 on campus and adjust our protocols as necessary.
The Ashesi Executive Team
25/11/2021 Update on COVID-19 Testing for Ashesi Community
After nearly two years of online teaching and learning, we are now on a path to return to in-person activity and somewhat regular campus operations in January 2022.
25/11/2021 Update on COVID-19 Testing for Ashesi Community
After nearly two years of online teaching and learning, we are now on a path to return to in-person activity and somewhat regular campus operations in January 2022.
Vaccination requirement for a safe return to campus
For us to safely reopen in the coming semester, we are asking all members of our community to be vaccinated before January 2022. This is in line with guidance from all health authorities worldwide.
Weekly testing for any unvaccinated members of the community
Members of our community who cannot be vaccinated will be required to conduct weekly COVID-19 testing. The University will cover the cost of testing for employees who have medical exemptions. All others will bear the cost of weekly testing themselves.
Existing Safety Protocols Will Stay in Place
The University's health team will continue to conduct periodic tests on random samples of the university community and will cover the cost of these tests. All our masking and social distancing protocols will also continue to remain in place.
As always, we count on your continued support to ensure the health and safety of our community.
12/07/2021 Update on Campus Reopening
Following our last communication about plans to re-open Ashesi’s campus for semester one of the 2021/22 Academic Year, here are more details about the measures being implemented to ensure a safe return of the Ashesi community to campus. Plans to re-open campus are based on our current assessment of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana and are subject to change depending on the data regarding the pandemic, and any changes in national guidelines.
Returning to Campus
Students are encouraged to report to campus from August 15th for continuing students, and September 5th for the class of 2025. All students will be tested for Covid-19 upon returning to campus and will be required to show a negative Covid test result prior to moving into their permanent rooms for the semester. A select number of off-campus hostels have demonstrated preparedness to house students within appropriate safety protocols and will be available to students. The list of approved hostels will be available on the University’s website.
Should a student choose not to return to campus, they must communicate their decision and compelling reasons for staying home to the Office of Student and Community Affairs, by sending an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Campus Safety Measures and Protocols
Only critical staff and faculty required for teaching, student support and university operations will return to campus. Classrooms and gathering spaces will be configured to ensure current social distancing best practices, and all persons will be required to wear masks at all times when in any public spaces across campus. Furthermore, in-person social gatherings will be restricted to a maximum of 20 people.
A detailed overview of health and safety protocols developed to keep the Ashesi community safe, is attached to this email and is available on the here. We encourage every member of the Ashesi community to carefully review these guidelines and protocols, and to adhere to them in accordance with Ashesi’s Social Honour Code.
Mode of Instruction
Teaching will be conducted through a combination of online, in-person, and blended (“or hybrid”) classes. A detailed overview of which classes will be offered during Semester one and their mode of delivery, is also attached to this email. Where absolutely necessary, the University will make provisions to ensure that students who cannot be present for any in-person classes are able to join in virtually.
Barring any unexpected changes in the Covid-19 situation in Ghana, we look forward to welcoming students back to campus in August. In the meantime, we encourage the community to stay safe by prioritising all safety protocols.
27/01/2021 Update on COVID-19 Testing for Ashesi Community
Prior to the start of this semester, we lost two members of the Ashesi community to COVID19: Board member, Patrick Nutor; and Associate Dean of Student Life and Engagement, Frances Awuah-Kyerematen. In the weeks since, we have received news of losses of close family and friends of various members of our community. I extend sincere condolences to everyone grieving, and I wish us all strength to navigate these difficult times. To those recovering from the virus or who have close associates doing so, I pray for a strong recovery.
As we stand with those dealing with the pandemic's fallout - within Ashesi and beyond - I must reemphasise the importance of taking COVID-19 protocols and precautions seriously. We remain committed to doing all we can to keep moving forward in our work while supporting the safety and wellbeing of everyone. We ask that each one of us play our part in this commitment and encourage our friends and family to do the same.
Updates on Limited Campus Re-Opening: COVID-19 Tests for Students, Faculty, Staff & Contractors
With the option to return to campus housing, 213 students moved into student dorms the week of January 11, 2021. Measures have been put in place to support physical distancing and safety on campus. Regular student services like dining are up and running. All classes continue to be conducted online. Before moving in, COVID-19 tests were conducted for all students and staff that work with students.
Out of the 213 tests conducted for students in Ghana, 10 (4.7%) on campus were positive for COVID-19. All had no visible symptoms. The University has provided individual accommodation on campus for students who tested positive, all of whom are currently receiving treatment from the University health team with guidance from the Ghana Health Service.
Contact tracing identified 8 other students who had spent time with some of the 10 students who tested positive on campus. As a precautionary measure, all 8 students were also provided individual accommodation on campus. They have now tested negative for the virus a week later and have all been cleared.
Currently, the remaining 10 isolated students on campus are doing well and will be retesting before the end of January to determine a safe return to the general population.
Of the international students who were returning to Ghana, 1 tested positive at Ghana's airport and received care from the Government; and 6 tested positive in their home countries. All 7 students have since tested negative and have been cleared.
Testing for Faculty, Staff & Contractors:
68 tests were also conducted for university staff, faculty and third-party service providers working on campus. We recorded 3 positive tests – 1 member of staff and 2 third-party service providers – who also went into isolation. All three have since been retested and 2 have tested negative and been discharged. A member of our third-party provider team is still testing positive and will continue to receive treatment.
We are extremely thankful to each one of you, especially those who underwent tests and have had to spend time in isolation, for your cooperation. We are also thankful to our healthcare team for providing round-the-clock support and monitoring.
Looking Ahead
We will continue sharing public updates on how Ashesi is navigating this crisis and invite your support in doing so. We must continue to be vigilant in the work to beat COVID-19 and protect family, friends, and colleagues. We must not drop our guard. If you experience signs of illness, please report to the nearest approved clinic for a professional diagnosis. Do not self-medicate or assume you have malaria. The individual and collective choices we make at this time will affect many lives, and I cannot think of a time when our honour code could provide more inspiration to others than this.
To students, we would appreciate your continued partnership in strengthening our online learning experience. Please continue sharing feedback with your faculty, student council representatives, and the Provost. If you are so inclined, do share feedback with me as well.
To faculty and staff, I continue to be grateful for your commitment to our students and our mission. As we plan for Ashesi's next decade, I look forward to your insights on what lessons we can take from this period to strengthen our work and impact.
Stay home. Wear your masks and maintain physical distancing if you must be out of the home. Keep your hands clean. Stay safe, and protect the lives of family, friends, and colleagues.
9/12/2020 Update on Semester Two of 2020/2021 Academic Year
Dear Students,
We hope this finds you well and healthy. Following our communication last week, here is a link to the application form for students who wish to be considered for campus housing in Semester 2, starting January 2021. Please submit your application by 5pm on Monday, December 14th to be considered for campus housing in January. Kindly be reminded that since classes will resume online, access to Ashesi’s campus is an option being offered to specific groups of students including Freshmen, Seniors requiring lab access, and others with a demonstrated need to be on campus to participate in online learning.
In this PDF document, we have also provided a summary of protocols which will guide campus living and access during Semester 2 to keep our community safe. We request that you review this document very carefully, before submitting an application for campus housing. These guidelines will be made available on the Ashesi website and may be updated as necessary. If you have questions about campus housing or any other queries pertaining to campus reopening, kindly direct them to our COVID-19 resource team.
30/11/2020 Update on Semester Two of 2020/2021 Academic Year
The President of Ghana announced a decision to allow the reopening of all schools in the country in a national address on Sunday, January 3, 2021. The update on COVID-19 safety measures provided campus reopening guidance for both public and private schools. Following this announcement, the University will implement its previously proposed safety protocols for a possible return to campus, shared with the University community in December of 2020.
Returning to campus for January to May 2021 semester will be optional for students
With classes continuing online for the second half of the 2020/2021 academic year, students have the option to return to campus or continue classes from home. On-campus housing will be available for approximately half of our student population to enable social distancing and safety, with limited options for off-campus housing. Students who intend to return to on-campus housing and use campus facilities would have to apply to support planning. Students who choose to remain at home will also continue to receive support and resources previously provided by the University to enable effective online learning. Campus reopening timelines for returning students are as follows:
| January 4 – Campus reopens for the first half of first-year students. |
| January 11 – Campus reopens for the second half of first-year students. |
| January 15 – Campus reopens for the first half of continuing students. |
| January 16 – Campus reopens for the second half of continuing students. |
| January 18 – Classes begin online. |
COVID-19 testing and on-campus safety
Once on campus, students would have to follow all safety protocols as outline by the University Health Centre. All students would have to undergo COVID-19 testing before moving in on campus. A second COVID-19 test will be conducted for all students during the course of the semester. The University will fund both tests. Though students are encouraged to stay on campus throughout the semester, they may leave campus when necessary. Students would have to notify the University Health Centre in such cases. Visits to campus residential facilities will also be restricted.
Canteens and eateries on campus will allow for only take-out services, and safety signs and markings will provide guidance on protocols for purchasing meals, other food items and groceries in different campus spaces.
Additionally, the University will be temporarily restricting mass gatherings, contact sports, and other social events for the semester. Access to specific spaces on campus will also have temporarily limited to support social distancing measures.
A collaborative effort
Despite measures put in place to reduce any risks, the safe and effective conduct of our upcoming semester will still depend on responsible behaviour by all members of our community. In keeping with the Ashesi Honour Code, we trust that the entire community will ensure respect and adherence to all safety protocols.
We will continue to provide updates to the University community on safety protocols, in line with guidance and recommendations from the Government of Ghana and our health team(s).
Click here to read a summary of COVID-19 safety protocols for Ashesi students returning to campus
3/08/2020 Update on Plans for Semester One of the 2020/2021 Academic Year
Dear Ashesi Community,
Following final deliberations with the University Board, we want to share our determined roadmap for Semester One of the 2020/2021 academic year at Ashesi, starting August 31st. Based on all our discussions and current understanding of information around COVID-19, Ashesi will continue to operate entirely online and conduct all university activities remotely next semester.
Our campus reopening team - made up of students, faculty, and staff - put a lot of work into ensuring effective teaching, learning, and community activity while mitigating risks to our community's health and safety. We have also engaged with representatives on Ghana's COVID-19 response team, to ensure our framework relied on relevant science and understanding of the pandemic. Additionally, the balance of these decisions allows us to maintain Ashesi's financial health, including meeting our obligations to creditors.
Although we are moving forward based on our best knowledge of all factors, we recognise that the information that guided these decisions may change. We will continue to make adjustments where necessary and maintain transparency in communicating with the Ashesi community.
The information below highlights the start options evaluated for the first semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. We hope to provide clarity around the decision to continue operating online and the steps we intend to take to ensure effective participation by everyone at Ashesi.
Considerations for Campus Reopening
Our initial discussions about the start of the 2020/2021 academic year centered on the following main options for moving forward:
- Reopen campus and allow for in-person classes and activity, with strict enforcement of COVID-19 safety protocols. In this scenario, Ashesi would welcome all students back to campus with strong adherence to safety protocols.
- Conduct teaching and learning online for continuing students but open up for in-person classes for the first-year class, with strict enforcement of COVID-19 safety protocols. In this scenario, Ashesi would welcome the Class of 2024 to campus with strong adherence to safety protocols.
- Conduct teaching and learning online but open up residential facilities for students who would benefit from on-campus resources and internet infrastructure.
- Continue to operate entirely online and maintain current protocols across all functions of the University.
In choosing between these options, we evaluated the following key factors:
- Risk of exposure in commuting to and from campus:
Despite our enduring optimism, there is still a measurable risk of infection and exposure to the Ashesi community on campus. Unlike residential high schools that essentially quarantined all residential students on campus for the duration of their term, we do not consider it tenable to restrict students to campus for a whole semester once they return to Berekuso. Furthermore, faculty, staff, and commuting students traveling in and out of campus would be exposed to various potential touchpoints of infection. In such a situation, each day of campus activity increases our community's risk of exposure.
We were also concerned about the disruption that would be caused to course schedules if faculty members contracted COVID-19 and had to suspend in-person instruction. Just one faculty member compelled by circumstances to go into isolation would disrupt studies for scores of students. - Complexities of thorough and continuous testing for students
To have any form of return to campus residences with students in shared rooms, we agreed that all those living on campus would need to get tested before the start of the semester. To do this, we would have to initiate a return to campus in testing batches. An initial subset of students (living on campus) would return, be isolated, and tested for the virus. All students who tested negative would then be allowed to move into shared rooms, creating isolation spaces for the next subset of students. Before the semester could start, we would go through this process until all students living on campus had tested negative and settled.
We concluded that this process would not only be strenuous and expensive but would still not be foolproof. Once on campus, students would need to be tested frequently. And as mentioned prior, travel in and out of campus by both students and university staff would mean exposure to multiple infection touchpoints. - Uncertainty of traveling for international students
Though countries continue to reopen their borders slowly, there are still restrictions on travel that would affect many international students. Considering the uncertainty of international students being able to travel to Ghana, we recognised that we would need to plan for any affected students to continue learning remotely. - Opening up for students who would most effectively learn on campus
We considered opening up campus for a smaller number of students who would greatly benefit from campus access even if we maintained classes online. However, any reopening of campus for students would require the availability of services such as dining and cleaning. Members of these service teams face and present the same risks as anyone else in commuting to campus. Furthermore, it would also not be operationally prudent to run our entire campus infrastructure for a smaller number of students. We considered the possibility of supporting such students, off-campus, by providing logistical and financial support from the University.
Operating Online Next Semester
As we move forward with remote operations for the rest of 2020, the continued success of university activity will depend on our collective wisdom and effort.
a. For Our Incoming Class of 2024, We See Opportunities to Reshape Our First-Year Welcome Experience
Choosing to have all our first-year students begin their semester remotely was difficult, but necessary. We recognise that the associated risk of COVID-19 infection would completely nullify the benefits of an in-person on-campus start. Nonetheless, our incoming first-year students will have a lot to learn to transition into Ashesi effectively. Teams are being formed to design new online orientation programmes and activities to welcome all members of this class to Ashesi.
And though some members of the class have already been enrolled, there are still many applicants who had their high school examinations postponed. With this in mind, semester one for the Class of 2024 will be restructured to allow enrolled students to begin their learning while creating flexible room for students who enroll later to transition in and quickly draw level.
For September and October, currently enrolled students would take classes focused on skills and strategies critical to thriving at Ashesi. We anticipate that the rest of their peers, taking high school exams in August, would have been enrolled in Ashesi by the end of October. These students will also take classes in foundational Ashesi skills from November to December. Come January 2021, all members of the class would be able to continue their learning in our regular four-month semester structure.
The Class of 2024 will be the first to be welcomed to Ashesi in this way. And we are excited about the opportunities this brings for making Ashesi's incoming class orientation programmes stronger for generations to come. We still believe that the pandemic is a short-term disruption, and campus will be able to fully reopen in the near future. When this happens, we also look forward to allowing the Class of 2024 to experience our face-to-face first-year welcome traditions.
b. Steps for Mitigating Barriers to Learning for All Students
Housing:
Over the weeks since campus closure, we have been working with students to ensure that all can participate in learning effectively. We are aware that there are students whose current locations are not conducive for remote learning - especially with regards to power and internet service reliability. We also expect that there will be members of our incoming Class of 2024 who face similar circumstances.
Led by our Student Affairs team, we intend to provide financial and material assistance for qualifying students during the first semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. This option will also be available to qualifying members of our incoming Class of 2024 as well if requested.
Internet Connectivity & Laptops:
The University will also continue providing internet connectivity support and resources to all students and will be doubling the data provisions from 10GB a month to 20GB a month. We will also be working with telecom organisations, where possible, to allow free access to Ashesi's online learning platforms.
We also hope that savings made on housing fees can enable families to support their wards with additional tools, such as laptops, to maximise the effectiveness of remote learning.
Scholarships & Financial Aid:
Students whose economic situation has been affected by the pandemic, and who may not have been on financial aid at Ashesi prior, may apply for emergency funding for the coming semester. The Admissions and Financial Aid Office will evaluate all requests with a focus on proven need, and award funding support as required. Though we have taken steps to make emergency scholarships available to all qualifying students, funding is still limited and will depend on availability.
We will continue to communicate with students as we identify barriers and work hand-in-hand with the Ashesi Student Council to ensure that we have made the best resources available to every student. Students can click here to submit an application for short-term relief funding.
c. Planning for Academic Work & Equipment for Practical Work and Lab Experiments
Our faculty have also spent significant time working on improvements to online teaching in the upcoming semester. The Provost, working with faculty leadership, has identified additional tools and resources for augmenting the effectiveness of remote learning, especially for Engineering students. Faculty will also be adapting coursework and other assignments to online teaching, to ensure that students can effectively deepen their understanding of skills even as they work from home. Students will be receiving additional information about such resources and other measures from faculty ahead of the semester start.
d. For University Teams, Our Way of Operating Also Remains Unchanged
University teams will continue operating with the same protocols put in place for our transition online in March, which has been refined since. Team-specific support resources will be communicated by department leaders, as and when the need arises.
e. Our commitment to livelihoods of all University teams
The University remains committed to doing all we can to preserve the livelihoods of all staff members, including campus-related third-party service teams such as gardeners, security, dining, and janitors.
Next Steps
We will be convening a virtual townhall with parents and guardians to provide answers to any remaining questions and get recommendations and suggestions on collectively executing this plan. Parents and guardians should expect details for this meeting in a separate notice.
We understand that the connections and experiences we share in the spaces at Ashesi will not be easily replicated online. However, we are excited about this chance to strengthen the spirit of innovative action that defines us, and the extraordinary opportunity within this period to pursue ideas that may have seemed far away in the past. We have new momentum to possibly redefine experiences across many parts of Ashesi, and the decisions we each make moving forward will influence many generations of Ashesi to come. We look forward to working with you to chart this new path and deepen Ashesi's work and impact.
We are incredibly grateful to the members of the campus reopening team - Dzifa Nuer and Bridgette Asiedu, who co-chaired the Committee, Casper Annie, David Sampah, Esther Laryea, Dr. Francis Gatsi, Lena Korsah, Zeina Kowalski, Joe Mensah, Joseph Oduro-Frimpong, Millicent Adjei, Ebenezer Buckman, Nathalie N'Nguessan, Nina Chachu, Nina Pels, Salim Wangabi, Antoinette Quintin-Cofie, Edem Yegbe '21, Tamisha Segbefia '21, and Samuel Owusu-Acheaw '21 - for their committed work throughout this discussion and planning period.
In the spirit of Ashesi,
The Executive Team.
1/06/2020 Update on Partial Campus Reopening Following President of Ghana's Announcement
Dear Ashesi Community,
Thank you to everyone for holding steady through the last half of the 2019/2020 academic year. It has indeed been a period of remarkable collaboration and effort. Following the President's announcement on Sunday, May 31st, we wanted to share this quick update on campus reopening.
Final year students have mostly completed their academic work online, and will not be required to return to campus. Seniors with outstanding work to be submitted will continue to work with their faculty online.
During the last few weeks, additionally, key committees across the University have been working on reopening plans that ensure as much safety and effective operation as possible. Should you have any comments or questions you would expect to see answered in campus reopening plans, do share them by Friday, June 5th.
We will be sharing final details with the community once all discussions are concluded and approved by the University Board, which should hopefully be within the first half of June 2020.
In the interim, we will continue to operate as we have since March 30th. All protocols for working, teaching, and learning online remain in place, and we hope you all continue to stay safe and take all necessary precautions.
16/03/2020 Update on Government Announcement Compliance Measures
Throughout today, various members of the Ashesi team have been working to guide the University through the recent decision to pause classes and the President of Ghana's directive that all universities close. We would like to thank everyone for the incredible commitment to ensuring our community stays safe and is able to manage this disruption in as healthy a way as possible. Following various discussions today, here are additional measures to be implemented at Ashesi. Please do make sure to read through this entire memo.
Campus Closing & Additional Restrictions
a. To better ensure safety, access to campus will immediately be restricted starting tomorrow. This means that students who leave at any point will not be allowed to return.
b. All students living in Ghana are required to go home by 5.00 pm on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The University will be providing shuttle services into Accra on Tuesday and Wednesday. Buses will move from campus to bus stations at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, in three-hour intervals starting from 9.00 am.
c. International students will be allowed to remain on campus until 5.00 pm on Saturday, within which time we ask that you make flight arrangements.
d. International students, who may not be able to travel back home within this period for extenuating reasons, will be allowed to stay on campus for now. Essential services - dining, health and janitorial services, facilities and estate support, and counseling - will be available for students who stay. International students who stay will be required to shelter on campus, and not leave university premises. The University is also exploring homestay arrangements for international students who cannot travel home.
Teaching & Learning Continuation
a. This semester will be broken into two halves. We will consider the first half of the semester (Segment A) to have ended on March 13th, 2020. The second half of the semester (Segment B) will begin online, and we currently expect this to happen from March 30th, 2020.Students and faculty should prepare to begin classes online from this stated date unless informed otherwise.
b. Students who will not be able to take classes online from home will be allowed to defer Segment B of this semester until the campus is fully reopened.
c. Information on how online classes will be deployed will be shared with the University community before March 30th.
Teaching and Learning Guidance for Faculty and Staff
a. Faculty will be generally supported by the I.T. office to prepare for online instruction. Specialised support will be provided for faculty who need it.
b. The Office of the Provost and Academic Quality Assurance Committee will work with faculty to decide on a modified grading structure for the semester segments.
Business Continuity Guidance
a. Various staff teams will prepare a plan for continued business operations. Heads of Departments should have discussions with their teams (via remote conferencing) to decide how work will be scheduled and distributed during this time. As much as possible, we are moving to remote working. Only essential staff, as designated by Departmental Heads, should be commuting to campus.
b. Teams should designate leads, and define team members who will step in as alternates. Should a team lead be unable to work, or need to go on sick leave, supporting staff will step in to ensure essential operations continue.
c. The Admissions Office will continue operating online. Prospective students must submit their applications via our online portal or by email. Until further notice, applications cannot be brought to campus. The Office will be communicating dates for webinars and online admissions sessions by Monday, March 23rd.
Counseling Support & Guidance
We understand that this situation may have a toll on our community. Here are a few things you can engage in during these times to protect your mental health, as prescribed by our Counseling Team.
a. Choose one credible source of information (WHO, or the Ghana Ministry of Health) and check it at periodic times in a day for reassurance. Avoid news from unconfirmed social media posts and also share information you have confirmed.
b. Have a schedule during the day to engage in some indoor activities such as reading, writing, singing, cleaning or any productive activity on your list. Only go out into public places if necessary and if the venue has adequate social distancing.
c. Check on family and friends using technology and support each other with reassuring words. Don’t underestimate your resiliency and our collective ability to overcome this challenge.
d. Don’t fight your fears; accept them and talk about it.
e. Remind yourself to eat healthy, exercise, have enough sleep and laugh when you have to.
f. Should you be overwhelmed, kindly reach out to the Counselling, Coaching and Academic Advising team whose names are listed in the campus-wide email sent.
In the interest of the well-being of our entire community, we will be sending updates like this as frequently as possible to ensure you are all aware of ongoing conversations and planning. We strongly encourage everyone to follow guidelines communicated, to stay safe and not expose friends, classmates, and colleagues to unnecessary risk. Please do continue to practise all hygiene measures previously communicated and listed here on the WHO's website: wash your hands frequently; use alcohol-based sanitisers; avoid touching your face; and report any concern to the health team on campus.
15/03/2020 Update: Pausing of Classes
Dear Ashesi Community,
The Ministry of information has shared new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ghana this afternoon, as well as additional safety measures to protect all within the country. We do apologise for the delay in this update following that announcement. We have been in discussion with a member of the country's COVID-19 response team, who has been guiding us as we finalised discussion on the following immediate steps for Ashesi.
a. We are pausing all classes, effective immediately, until further notice.
b. We recognise that many student groups on campus would want to convene and support each other at this time. This is not good safety practice at this time. We are therefore prohibiting large gatherings on campus indefinitely, including all interest based club meetings and faith-based convenings. The University’s counseling team continues to operate and will be available to anyone who needs support.
c. Students who can go home can do so from tomorrow. International students and other students who cannot go home in the near-term are allowed to stay on campus, and all campus services will be available to you. Students who are already at home, are encouraged to stay for this period. Should your parent(s) be coming to campus to pick you up, please note that they will not be allowed into the dorms. Parents would have to meet you in the car park(s) for pick-up.
d. We will be communicating bussing schedules into Accra, for tomorrow and within the week, for students who may need this to go home.
e. Over the next two weeks, we will be entering conversations with faculty and staff; and communicating next steps for the continuation of teaching and learning to the whole university community. Additional communication will be sent to faculty and staff shortly about meeting times.
In the interest of the well-being of our entire community, we will be sending updates like this as frequently as possible to ensure you are all aware of ongoing conversations and planning. Our community, including the Student Council's leadership, has been amazing in rallying around safety measures. If there was ever a time to live up to Ashesi's ideals of leadership and citizenship, this is it.
Please do continue to practise all hygiene measures previously communicated and listed here on the WHO's website: wash your hands frequently; use alcohol-based sanitisers; avoid touching your face; and report any concern to the health team at 0501331668.
13/03/2020 Update: Safety Measures in the Face of Coronavirus Outbreak
Dear Ashesi Community, as you may be aware, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic; pointing to over 118,000 cases in 114 countries and territories, and the sustained risk of further global spread. On March 12, 2020, Ghana confirmed two positive tests of the virus (Click here to read more).
Given this global health emergency:
- Ashesi is indefinitely cancelling university-related travel for all members of our community effective immediately.
- All personal international travel is strongly discouraged. Members of our community who may have essential travel obligations should notify their Exec Lead and the Health Center. Those members may be required to self-isolate for up to 14 days upon returning to Ghana. Should this happen, they would only be allowed to resume activity on campus after the quarantine period.
- On-campus meetings with visitors travelling into Ghana are prohibited until further notice; please do inform the university health center as well – for guidance – if you are meeting guests who fit this description off-campus.
- Should visitors coming from outside Ghana inadvertently arrive to campus, they will be escorted by security to the Natemba Health Center for precautionary screening.
If any of the above presents logistical challenges, please do let us know. We recognize that this may be a disruptive and unsettling period for everyone, however we believe that this period is temporary and the new urgency around containing the virus will help stop its spread in the near term. As we look out for each other and our families at this extraordinary time, we should all implement strong precautions to ensure safety.
As news and information about the virus evolves, we will continue to update the Ashesi community on any changes to campus safety measures. Thank you for joining in what is now a global effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.
05/03/2020 Update: Safety Measures in the Face of Coronavirus Outbreak
The Coronavirus outbreak started in December 2019 and currently has affected 92,943 in about 60 countries. Six countries in Africa - Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco and Nigeria - have reported confirmed cases. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ghana to date. As at the time of writing, 40 suspected cases have tested negative in Ghana (the disease situation is rapidly evolving and the University community be updated periodically).
Preparations by University Health Services
The health services team is currently undergoing training on COVID-19 with the World Health Organization to be well educated on the condition. Dr. Oliver-Commey, the university physician and an infectious disease specialist, is a member of Ghana’s COVID-19 medical team and will be providing education and simulation to the health team and the general university community on the disease.
The Health Centre has also purchased medical equipment for prevention and identification of possible symptoms; and the university has the capacity to house up to seven people, if necessary, who may show symptoms and will need to stay in private quarters.
Public Health Campaign
The Health Centre has started a campus health campaign on COVID-19, starting with e-mail and posters. The public health campaign will continue throughout the semester and will include a broader set of channels. Target audiences will also contractors and vendors on campus, and special education sessions have been planned for auxiliary staff like cleaners and security.
Students, Faculty, Staff and Others Returning to Campus After Midsemester Break
We are currently aware of 10 members of our community who are returning from one country with low-risk exposure to COVID-19 (1 confirmed case). We have been in communication with all of them, and are working hand-in-hand to ensure safety.
Everyone traveling into Ghana from affected countries should expect to be checked by health authorities at the Kotoka Airport. Returning members of our community will also be screened by the Health Centre on campus, and those with symptoms will stay in restricted quarters on campus for two weeks. During the period, body temperature will be recorded twice a day. Ghana’s COVID-19 national response team will be informed in the unlikely event that illness continues or worsens, and official testing will be conducted at Noguchi Memorial Institute.
Precautions For Hosting Visitors On Campus
In the event that you will be hosting guests from affected countries on campus, please:
- Inform the Natembea Health Centre to enable us provide case-by-case guidance and safety support.
- Where possible, consider rescheduling visits and convenings with guests from affected countries until further notice.
- If you have to host guests from affected countries, have prior conversations with them about the possibility of restricted movement within campus.
Precautions For The Entire University Community
All students, faculty and staff have to complete a questionnaire to determine their level of risk based on recent travel history, and potential exposure to affected countries. Appropriate action, ranging from monitoring to restricted movement on campus, will be taken based on the risk assessed.
Emergency Response Plan
The university is developing a campus response protocol in the event of severe COVID-19 spread in Ghana, which will be completed by mid to late March 2020. The Ashesi Community will be informed about the emergency response protocol as soon as it is ready and a simulation will be held together with the Ghana Health Service.