Accra School of Hygiene students on strike

Accra, April 20, GNA - Students of the Accra School of Hygiene have embarked on an indefinite strike to back their demand for accreditation and affiliation with any of the country's universities. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday to explain events leading to the decision, Mr Joseph Ayuboya, President of the Student's Representative Council (SRC), said the students were discouraged at the way the School's administration was handling the issues of accreditation and affiliation.

He said the students had resolved to boycott lectures until the School was accredited and affiliated to one of the universities. He claimed that until now, the school authorities have failed to submit a questionnaire that was requested by the National Accreditation Board while the Principal has refused to communicate progress made so far on the issue to students and claims that he had no time to communicate with the students.

Mr. Ayuboya explained that the Ghana Health Examination Board (GHAHEB) currently runs an internal diploma examination for the school at the end of a three-year study, but the programme was not recognised by the National Accreditation Board or any of the universities. "This situation is frightening and worrying because of the persistent neglect of the School and its products after training in several aspects including academic progress, job placement and salary levels". He stated that even though the School had been in existence since 1925 and was the first health training institution in Ghana, it should have been the first to receive accreditation instead of low recognition and support for a long time now.

The SRC President said the Ministry of Health's decision to upgrade some health training institutions to diploma status was a welcome news, but "to select 17 out of the 18 health institutions for accreditation was discouraging and creates doubts and fear in the minds of students regarding their future security".

He noted that all the schools that were awarded accreditation were before then certificate awarding institutions, while the School of Hygiene started awarding diploma long before Ghana had independence and "to retrogress to a certificate awarding institution would only retard the growth of the School of Hygiene".

Mr. Ayuboya also mentioned that with 2006 declared as the "Year of Sanitation" by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Charles Bintim, "our hopes and aspirations are high that something better and concrete would be done about the school to raise its status".

He said the work of the Environmental Health Officers though important as recognised by the President in his recent call for the reintroduction of the old Sanitary Inspectors, lack of motivation was retarding their operation.

The SRC President appealed to the Ministry of Health and stakeholders to help in securing a good future for trainees and products of the institution.