Nigerian Government Gives Six Conditions For Re-opening Schools

The federal government has advised tertiary institutions in Nigeria to put preventive measures against COVID-19 in place before it announces their re-opening.

Schools were shut on March 19 over the novel coronavirus outbreak, leaving the authorities to adopt alternative modes of learning for students at all levels.

Speaking at the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board(JAMB) 2020 virtual policy meeting, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said educational institutions should not wait until the federal government announces reopening or the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issues guidelines for their resumption before taking actions.

“I urge all the Heads of Institution not to wait till the announcement on opening before putting in place all necessary measures in compliance with the protocols and advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),” he said

Mr Adamu who was represented by the minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said the government is seriously concerned about the lockdown of educational institutions and the Presidential Task Force is working with facts and figures to limit the negative effects of the pandemic

“The Presidential Task Force is working assiduously with facts and figures that mirror the reality of our current situation and circumstance. We are making use of them to respond to the challenges in such a way that we can limit and manage the negative effects of the pandemic,” he said.

Ahead of the reopening of universities and others, the Federal Government has listed six conditions to be met by each school.

It said the six conditions are to protect pupils and students against Coronavirus.

(1) Install hand-washing facilities,

(3) Provide body disinfectants at all entering points to their major facilities, including the gates, hostels, classes, offices, etc.

(4) The whole premises of each institution must be decontaminated.

(5) All efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene

(6) Ensure social/physical distancing in class sizes and meeting spaces.

The minister also commended institutions that are engaging in inventions to counter the pandemic like ventilators, sanitizers, handwashing machines among others.

– Premium Times