FG announces resumption of schools

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

After about six months of Coronavirus holiday in all schools in the country,, the Federal Government has announced that states are at liberty to reopen schools.

This was disclosed on Thursday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja by the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, during a media interaction, He recommended a phased return of students to classrooms.

Already, some states like Kogi, Oyo and Lagos have announced intention to reopen schools from mid September. This follows the success recorded in the resumption of exit classes on August 4th.

Aliyu said, “For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.

“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create, and monitor this level of preparedness.

“Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed. And if there will be opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.”