UWI to welcome students August 30 with changes to facilitate teaching, accommodations

The University of the West Indies, Mona, says it will be welcoming new and returning students to the St Andrew-based campus for the new academic year 2020-2021 on August 30, but with several changes to facilitate teaching and living on the campus.

Teaching will commence on September 7; however, it will be predominantly conducted online. 

"This change to emphasise more online teaching has been necessitated by the spike in COVID-19 cases in recent days and the attendant risk to face-to-face interaction in a university setting. The university takes note in this regard of similar adjustments made by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in delaying face-to-face classes to October [5] in the public school system," the university said in a statement yesterday. 

Accommodation on halls of residence have also been changed, the university said, and regional and international students are not required to return to Jamaica. It says halls will only be accommodating students who must have face-to-face contact. 

It says adjustments have been made on halls to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols, and that the entire campus will be appropriately outfitted with the necessary facilities to ensure the health and safety of staff, students and members of the public who enter its grounds. 

"As the COVID-19 situation is extremely fluid, the university management stands ready to make other adjustments in our operations as warranted," the UWI said.  

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