UWI students scramble to leave campus

Jamaican students living at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus, have been ordered to go home amid heightened fears of COVID-19, but there is still confusion among some in the aftermath.

With the sudden decision, many students were left stranded as they were unable to find transportation to take them as far as Westmoreland and St James at short notice.

Late Friday, as the university’s advisory got around, many students could be seen making their exit from the campus, some hauling large suitcases with them.

However, on Saturday, the Guild Council, the body that represents students on the campus, arranged for more than 200 students on various halls of residence to be transported to their respective parishes.

Many more than that figure had to find other means to get home.

The guild reinforced the university’s position, advising students that although they empathised with their concerns, “we must urge you to leave now”.

“The reason for this is because only essential services will remain in operation, and even those like water, electricity, and on-campus food availability may go eventually,” the release said.

International and regional students have been allowed to stay on the halls of residence.

The UWI on Thursday afternoon cancelled an entire day of midsemester examinations and informed students that classes would be suspended for four weeks.

The university said that teaching was expected to resume on April 14. The UWI did not say whether the semester would be extended.