We’re Not Yet Convinced That Schools Are Ready To Reopen | Speaking at a meeting today, Thursday, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba,The Minister of State for Education, in a meeting of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 with the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on National Primary Health at Abuja has said that the Federal Government is not yet convinced that schools in the country are ready to reopen for full academic activities.
We’re Not Yet Convinced That Schools Are Ready To Reopen – FG
He said that the Federal Government are still looking and working on the issue, he gave this reply to His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto when he asked a question about the reopening of schools.
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He also mentioned that 15 percent of transmission of the pandemic is from the school environment according to experts opinion and it is the reason why the Federal Government needs to work with them most especially on the guidelines.
He said: “At the moment, we have not come to the point where we can say we are convinced that schools can manage themselves and reopen comfortably.
He also said that they’ve deployed teams out to observe schools to ensure they’re ready for safe reopening which won’t put the Children in danger.
“Our teams have gone out, and we will use the whole of this week and next week to do a proper evaluation, we are going round to see the level of compliance, but most importantly, we are waiting to get an update on all the facilities in every part of Nigeria.
“We believe expert opinion that a school system is a suspect place for transmission, and that is why we are working with them, particularly on guidelines.
He also gave reference to a student and candidate if WAEC in Gombe who contract the virus during the examination, though he was treated rapidly and he later recovered.
He said:
“We quickly isolated him, and he recovered in time to join the class back.
“But that showed that these places are sources of spread,” he said
“We are suggesting that classes be remodelled if there are not enough classrooms for social distancing, we can do this system where some can come in the morning, maybe the junior classes and the senior classes can come in the afternoon. We are also working out guidelines such as the washing of hands because the school must go on at one point.”
