Few days ago, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 during a press conference at Abuja, assured Nigerian children that measures are being put in place to ensure the reopening of the schools; They also urged States, local governments, proprietors( even somes stakestakeholders) to begin to take steps that will help facilitate early and safe reopening.
However, the Minister of State for Education, Barry. Emeka Nwajiuba made some compelling statement saying that schools are not safe to reopen, until the government put preventive measures in place to ensure the safety of children from Covid-19 else, schools should remain closed.
The Minister said that the government is working on a model to ensure physical and social distancing as well as proper sanitation and hygiene at every; this means that the school may be in sessions.
According to him, “The plan entails adopting a two-shift system and allowing those who will write exams to return earlier than others”.
“We are looking at sanitary conditions of all the schools. SUBEB should use some of the monies we give them to upgrade sanitary conditions in schools. We are also looking at having sanitization booths working with NASENI. It is a forewarning to private and State governments to ensure that these things are put in place before schools can reopen”.
He added that state governments and private school owners ought to plan ahead on how to ensure maximum safety for students when the plan for resumption is unveiled.
According to him, “The PTF has been deliberating on this situation and wish to inform Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will roll out measures to be put in place for safe re-opening of our schools. The PTF wishes to use the occasion of this celebration to congratulate our children and assure them, their parents and all stakeholders alike, that all hands are on deck to reopen the schools at a safe time”.
(By Miss Bimbo)
