Accra, March 26, GNA – The All-Africa Students Union (AASU) has called on governments and all stakeholders across the continent to make educational institutions safe places for students during this era of the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency and signed by Mr Peter Kwasi Kodjie Secretary General AASU, said they should put in place emergency response facilities to contain the spread of the virus and provide emergency testing equipment and medical care.
“We strongly advise students not to embark on any trips; only travel when this is absolutely necessary. Should you show any symptoms suspected to be COVID-19 kindly call the nearest health facility before you show up in person,” it said.
It said simple actions like washing your hands with soap and running water, using hand sanitizers and avoiding handshakes and physical contact, can and will save many lives.
It said the All-Africa Students Union was in the process of setting up situation rooms across the continent to provide urgent and timely updates to its constituents; put together a students’ volunteer corps programme to support national governments’ efforts in combating the COVID-19; and raise funds to complement African Countries’ efforts at fighting this pandemic.
It assured all members, that the All-Africa Students Union would keep working with its national students’ unions, governments and global partner organizations, to contain and fight the COVID-19.
It said lessons learnt from the pandemic include the fact that there is no such thing as someone else’s problem and that what was always imagine as someone’s problem always ends up becoming our problem as well.
“Standing together is imperative if we are to defeat the scourge of the virus and whilst the times seem perilous, let us not allow fear and panic to grip our hearts in such a way that we may lose our humanity, let us continue to show compassion and love, albeit exercising the greatest of caution,” it said.
The All-Africa Students Union (AASU) was formed in 1972 and organises all students in Africa from the basic level to institutions of higher learning.
The Union has presence in all 54 African countries and is headquartered in Ghana.
GNA