It will be prudent to say the least that the health and safety of all students and staffs be given the utmost priority by the Governing body of Accra Technical University amongst others as far as saving lives of students amidst Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana is concerned.

Ghana is experiencing a dangerous surge in Covid-19 cases. The daily infection rate has reached 26,572 +447new cases, Deaths 144 +5 and we have set a new single day record in deaths as at 18th Jul. 2020. Our hospitals are nearing capacity and doctors are having to make the difficult decision of who to give lifesaving treatments to.

Health workers are getting infected day by day which means students are even at higher risk.

Reopened School infections are well over 50 cases and are way underreported due to lack of mass screening.

There has been no measures put in place to screen students before allowing them to school let alone a two week intervals of screening amongst students and staffs as they progress on campus

Hand washing and temperatures taking measures put in place are not enough to know who is positive or Oligo symptomatic (has the virus but shows almost no symptoms) or even negative

We want to also reiterate to management of Accra Technical University that, since the only way of knowing the status of a person is by laboratory testing of sputum , saliva etc. Student do not feel safe returning to part take any on-campus activities whiles the pandemic is increasingly active.

We want to also inform management that most students have various underlying conditions like Gastrointestinal, Heamatological disorders, Asthma etc. Knowingly or oblivious to both parents and students and that getting infected can be lethal

The WHO, Scientific Research Organizations across US and EU have confirmed that the virus can be airborne for over 24hrs hence:

An asymptomatic student in the middle of an examination regardless of the social distancing, can still pass on the virus by means of AEROSOLS to other staffs and students alike in a single cough or sneezing,

Using public transport TO and FRO campus and homes put students and their families at higher risk of contracting the virus

We plead to management to understand that almost all students live with families, friends even with infants at home and commuting TO and FRO poses lethal threats to their families and Ghana as a whole at fighting this pandemic.

It is worth noting that, other African countries have chosen lives over any other by either suspending academy works in schools or closing until next year

Since other Universities in Ghana have already conducted online Examinations safely, we beleive ATU Should and can too.YES WE CAN

The above few mentioned risks makes it DARING enough to students to partake in on-campus activity especially Examination.

We the undersigned concerned students and parents alike wish to HUMBLY APEAL to the PTO Vice chancellor and the Management as a whole that;

ATU re-consider its decision to conduct on-campus examinations in order to keep the students populace safe at homes.

Students want to reiterate that we have done enough academic activities online and still are and that, we are conversant with the online systems.

I want all Governments Institutions, especially the Ministry of Education and also Parliamentarians and educationists to consider the psychological welfares of students in their decision making going forward in such matters of life and death.

We CAN NOT impose further health, financial and psychological instability on our plights

I will therefore want ONLINE EXAMINATION AT THIS CRITICAL PERIOD OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC.

ARE GHANAIAN STUDENTS NOT IMPORTANT TOO?

#StudentsLivesMatter

#StudentsHaveRights

Thank You.