ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CORONAVIRUS ON STUDENTS.
Humanity is gripped with fear as we face a global health issue. A pandemic has hit the world and it’s sweeping away lives with the speed of light. A contagious disease is blanketing the entire globe with its death string. The continents of the world are moaning and wailing at the mercy of this dreadful infectious disease. The world now is in a state of dilemma, not knowing whether to go right or left. This disease called CORONAVIRUS (covid-19), is embracing all sort of persons; the rich and the poor, the free and the bond, the old and the young.
Below are some of the ADVERSE EFFECTS of CORONAVIRUS on Ghanaian Students.
Delayance in academic pursuit.
The fear of coronavirus has caused the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and other institutions responsible for education in Ghana to forcibly closed down schools. The current shut down of schools will automatically affect the academic calendar negatively, if Ghana does not recover from this pandemic amicably. As a matter of fact, this will call for the extension in the estimated period of time for staying on campus. Psychological and Emotional Instability.
The outbreak of coronavirus is shadowing the whole world with death tentacles. This is adversely affecting the psychological and emotional state of Ghanaian students. Students cannot think straight, reading through all the information inundated on the on the internet and social media. This is causing a lot of mental instability among students, even amidst all the precautionary measures being observed.
Restricted Movement.
With the fear of contracting the deadly coronavirus, the president of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, has declared a partial lockdown in some parts of Ghana (Accra, Kumasi and Tema). The lockdown, though is one of the best measures Ghana as a nation can fall on to prevent the spread of the pandemic, is curtailing movement of students. Students no longer enjoy freedom of movement due to the fear of contracting the virus.
Fear and Panic.
Students are filled with fear and panic as a result of coronavirus. Students can no longer get the excitement we enjoy during gatherings. Programs and activities such as capacity building, games, general assembly, have been halted. We cannot even go close to our loved ones anymore. The handshakes and hugs from friends have now become abominable, all because we are afraid of the dire consequences that comes with this “a no respector of persons” disease.
Students are in deep fear. We are panicking in our homes. We are frightened to go out.
The coronavirus has caused a rise in the standard of living.
Economic activities are going down the drain. Almost all people have been banned from engaging in the day-to-day activities. The few people in the market sector who have the opportunity to sell are taking undue advantage to dupe their fellows by increasing the prices of commodities. This is raising the living standards very high. Families have spent all monies meant for payment of bills in schools on other equally important things.
We are now worrying about how we can get money to pay fees and other bills.
The coronavirus is here with us but it will vanish as it came. Notwithstanding, I would urge all and sundry to contribute our quota in the fight agaist coronavirus as we observe all precautionary measures.
Let us all follow the directives given by Nana Addo, WHO, MoH and GHS.
#stay safe…save a life#
Written by:
OSEI KWADWO