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Government has postponed the reopening date for the 2014/2015 academic year of all tertiary institutions in the country for two weeks. According to a statement signed by the Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, �government, acting on the advice of the Inter-Ministerial Team on the Ebola Viral Disease, has decided that the commencement of the 2014/2015 academic year be postponed by at least two weeks to allow for the necessary screening and preparedness measures to be put in place to ensure that tertiary institutions in Ghana are adequately placed in readiness�. Speaking to the issue in an interview on Peace FM morning show �Kokrokoo�, Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa indicated that his Ministry wants to ensure that even if the Ebola Virus will come into the country, it will not be through the Education Ministry. According to him, foreign students who are in the various tertiary institutions will also be thoroughly screened before joining their colleagues in school. The Deputy Minister also indicated that the two weeks postponement is not going to affect the Academic Calender. ��more than 10 percent of the population of students are from foreign countries. On the face of the Ebola virus, there is the need to take precautionary measures so that the education sector will not be a conduit to record a first Ebola case� Everything is being done to ensure that while we look at the safety of students, we are also looking at the stability of the academic year and so government will not do anything to destabilise the academic calendar� he asserted. Read a copy of the full statement below POSTPONEMENT OF 2014/2015 ACADEMIC YEAR I present to you the compliments of the Ministry of Education. Government, acting on the advice of the Inter-Ministerial Team on the Ebola Viral Disease, has decided that the commencement of the 2014/2015 academic year be postponed by at least two weeks to allow for the necessary screening and preparedness measures to be put in place to ensure that tertiary institutions in Ghana are adequately placed in readiness. Government wishes that this directive also applies to private tertiary institutions. All Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Presidents and Principals are kindly requested to comply with this communication and to respectfully attend a meeting, along with one Principal Health Officer each, of the �Inter-Ministerial Team on Ebola Viral Disease� under the auspices of the Chief of Staff on Monday 18th of August, 2014 at 8:00am at the Chief of Staff Conference Room, Flagstaff House. We count on your cooperation in this matter. Signed Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang Minister