Universities and other higher education institutions in Cameroon started to welcome returning students on Thursday after a suspension of nearly seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The universities have adopted strict social distancing and all-round disinfections while receiving the returning students, officials said.

All students and teachers must wear face masks and check their temperature regularly, said Minister of Higher Education Jacques Fame Ndongo.

Some returning students told Xinhua that their emotional connection to their universities has become even deeper despite a long separation. “I feel like crying. Setting foot on campus after such a long time gives me deep satisfaction.

It was like I was in prison and now free. I’m so happy to start school again,” Gerard Batir, a sophomore of the University of Douala, told Xinhua.

Cameroon has so far recorded more than 20,000 coronavirus cases. COVID-19 prevalence in the country is generally decreasing with a recovery rate of 95 percent, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Source: Xinhuanet