The Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies, ISDES has called on government to extend urgent support to foreign students caught up in the partially lockdown regions of Ghana over Coronavirus.

The institute paints a rather worrisome picture of the triple bitter pill of a lockdown, an imposition of travel restrictions and the closure of all schools shoved down the throats of these students most of whom are putting up in desolated campuses of private and public universities.

In a statement to draw attention to their plight, the ISDES noted that “In national emergencies and in global pandemics, foreign students and, foreigners in general, face a long list of hostilities and xenophobic attack, together with alienation, institutional neglect and societal discrimination.”

“Per checks and phone calls to affected students, no plans were made by the universities to provide food, drink and other assistance to foreign students in the respective universities in the two metropolitan centers under lockdown in Ghana,” the statement added.

ISDES noted that it was disappointed, “Ghana’s universities have a sizable number of foreign students but there has been no public mention of their situation, condition, welfare and related needs.”

The institute has recommended that government directs all Vice-Chancellors and other Directors of International Programs proactively and humanistically provide for the foreign students in this period at no cost to the students.

The ISDES has also laid a clarion call to families and religious bodies to endeavor to take in some of the foreign students to cater for them as their own quotas to humanity.

The institute is also proposing that “as part of good Quality Assurance Programs, all universities and colleges under accreditation should be compelled to develop Campus Emergency Preparedness Plans for All-Risk Emergencies with particular regard to the needs of both national and foreign students.’