Science, Technology & Public Policy 2023; 7(1): 13-20 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/stpp doi: 10.11648/j.stpp.20230701.12 ISSN: 2640-4613 (Print); ISSN: 2640-4621 (Online) The Effect of COVID-19 on Tertiary Students in Ghana: The Case of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Joshua Edem Agomor 1, * , Kingsley Senyo Agomor 2 1 School of Technology (SoT), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra, Ghana 2 School of Public Service and Governance (SPSG), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra, Ghana Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Joshua Edem Agomor, Kingsley Senyo Agomor. The Effect of COVID-19 on Tertiary Students in Ghana: The Case of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). Science, Technology & Public Policy. Special Issue: Education in a Sustainable World: Science, Technology and Mathematics. Vol. 7, No. 1, 2023, pp. 13-20. doi: 10.11648/j.stpp.20230701.12 Received: April 1, 2023; Accepted: May 9, 2023; Published: May 24, 2023 Abstract: The study examined the effect of COVID-19 on tertiary students in Ghana, using the students of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) as a case study. Many tertiary institutions in Ghana and the world over implemented measures to fight the COVID 19 pandemic. The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) were forced to adapt to the new reality. The study examined the challenges faced by students during the pandemic, their coping strategies, and the implications of the pandemic on their academic performance. It also provided insights into how tertiary institutions in Ghana could better support their students during times of crisis and help them to succeed academically. The study adopted a descriptive research design, and the data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed with the social learning theory. The study found that the COVID-19 had negative and positive effects on students’ education. There was a decline in their academic performance during the pandemic. The major challenges faced by the students included limited access to resources, lack of social interaction, and psychological stress. The coping strategies employed by the students included learning online, seeking emotional support, and engaging in physical exercise. A positive effect of the pandemic on students was the increased focus on health and wellness; students did not encounter the risk of exposure to external threats, making them learn in peace. The study recommended that the students should learn how to use e-learning platforms to supplement classroom learning. Keywords: Academic Performance, COVID 19 Pandemic, Education, Effects, Ghana, Students, Technology, Tertiary 1. Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic had had a profound effect on virtually every aspect of human life, including the education sector. The pandemic had caused significant disruptions to the way educational institutions operated, with many shifting to online and remote modes of instruction. Tertiary educational institutions had not been spared, and instructors and students had had to adapt to new ways of teaching and learning [19]. Ghana, like many other countries, had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the first case of the virus being reported in the country on March 12, 2020. Following the outbreak, the government implemented measures such as a partial lockdown and social distancing rules to curb the spread of the virus [9]. These measures had significant implications on the educational sector, and tertiary institutions such as the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) were forced to adapt quickly to the new reality. GIMPA is a public tertiary institution that offers a wide range of programs, including business, public administration, law, and social sciences and technology [12]. The institution has, over the years, built a reputation for providing quality education and producing graduates who go on to occupy leadership positions in various sectors of the Ghanaian economy and outside the country as well. Given the significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19