SCHOOLS RESUME STATEWIDE IN LAGOS ON MONDAY, 18TH JANUARY

Schools resumes in Lagos state this coming Monday, the 18th of January, 2021, thus reaffirming earlier pronouncement that all public and private schools in Lagos State below tertiary level should resume on Monday, 18th January, 2021 for the second term 2020/2021 academic session.

Lovetvnews Nigeria reports that this affirmation was made Friday by Lagos state the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo who noted that this is in line with the Federal Government’s resolution after reaching a consensus with relevant stakeholders.

Welcoming all to a happy and successful new academic term, Adefisayo urges students and members of staff to stay safe and adhere strictly to COVID-19 guidelines, adding that schools must provide soap, wash hand basin, alcoholic hand sanitizers, thermometers and other essential items in public and private schools across the State. She stressed that washing of hands, wearing of face masks and maintenance of social distancing must be adhered to in order to avoid further spread of the virus.

Schools she reiterated must ensure strict compliance with subsisting COVID-19 requirements for school’s resumption. She further disclosed that administrators of both public and private schools are expected to ensure full compliance with the guidelines for school’s re-opening in their respective schools as the State’s Office of Education Quality Assurance Team will be on ground to monitor situations in all schools across the State.

MEANWHILE, The Federal Government, on Thursday, banned overcrowding and large gatherings such as assemblies and visiting days, as schools reopen on Monday.

It also put limitations to class sizes and hostel occupancy and asked the schools to ensure the compulsory wearing of face masks by all students, teachers and workers, as well ensure temperature checks and put hand washing facilities in strategic locations in all schools

The government also asked the school authorities to ensure a constant supply of water and sanitisers, and make available functional health clinics with facilities for isolation and transportation of suspected cases to medical facilities.

Lovetvnews Nigeria affirms that the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, gave the conditions in a statement by the Director of Press in the Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Bem Goong.

According to him, the decision to maintain the resumption date in the aftermath of “extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, including state governors, commissioners of education, proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students.”

Adamu told parents and the respective institutions to ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

The statement read in part, “Sequel to the hint given during the press briefing on January 12, 2021, for the review of the proposed resumption date of January 18, 2021, the Federal Ministry of Education has undertaken a comprehensive appraisal of the situation.

“After extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, including state governors, commissioners of education, proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students, the consensus is that the resumption date of January 18 should remain, while parents and respective institutions must ensure full compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

“These measures, which are to ensure the safe reopening of schools for academic activities, will be subject to constant review as we urge teachers, school administrators and other stakeholders to ensure strict compliance.”

When asked how the government intends to curtail further spread of the virus with the planned resumption, Adamu school authorities would be asked to ensure strict compliance with existing and fresh guidelines that would be released.

He added, “We shall be warning stakeholders, particularly school authorities to ensure strict compliance with protocols.

“For instance, we will have no choice than to enforce compulsory use of face masks by teachers and students.

“We will also make it clear that we shall be reviewing the situation from time to time after the resumption to take necessary decisions.”

Recall that the United Nations Children’s Fund had called on governments across the world to spare no effort to keep schools open or prioritize them in reopening plans despite the increasing cases of COVID-19.

SIMILARLY, The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has inaugurated the COVID-19 Task Force Central Team for the institution ahead of resumption.

The team, which is headed by Dr Kingsley Akaba, has Dr Paul Odey, Dr Leku Odey, Dr Alexander Peter, Dr Bassey Ubi and Mrs Josephine Bisong as members.

While inaugurating the task force, Obi charged members “to coordinate all the terms of reference as established by the Presidential Task Force and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in the campus.”

She also said the taskforce would oversee the activities of all sub-committees and execution of their goals and report directly to the vice-chancellor’s office on the day-to-day activities of the COVID-19 task force.