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Gabriel Dike
Secondary school students in terminal classes nationwide resumed for academic activities, four months after the Federal Government shut schools to avert the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.
The secondary schools visited by our Correspondents said they have met the guidelines for reopening of schools, especially proven of face mask, water basin and sanitizers at the entrance and within the schools, fumigation of the schools including classrooms and offices.
The Federal Government in March 29, directed schools nationwide to close down because of the ravaging COVID-19 scourge and last week, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, announced the reopening of schools, starting with SS3 students.
The choice of SS3 students is to enable them write the terminal examinations, starting with the May/June 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination Certificate (WASSCE) on August 17.
In the North and South South, the state governments are silent about reopening of schools while South East and South West, governors have announced date for resumption of schools.
In Lagos State, it was mixed reaction as only public schools reopened while few private schools opened their doors for SS3 students. Academic activities will start tomorrow (Tuesday) as the students and staff were busy cleaning the classrooms and staff room.
Majority of the private schools said SS3 students will resume on Tuesday based on the earlier circular by the state government and the Federal Government announcement of August 4.
In Lagos many private schools did not open for academic activities while Public schools drew their doors open for SS3 their students but lessons will start today (Tuesday) in preparation for the May/June 2020 WASSCE.
At Cornerstone College, Agodo, Lagos, the Principal, Mrs. Mary Agaga, confirmed that the Lagos State officials fumigated the school premises (including primary), classrooms and offices on Saturday, noting that SS3 students will resume on Tuesday.
Mrs. Agaga said the school teachers are ready for the May/June 2020 WASSCE and that the students have been taking online lessons while the two week before the school exam will be used to adequately prepare the SS3 students, adding ”we are hopefully that our students will make us proud.”
She explained that the school has put in place water basin for washing of hands, face mask for teachers and other staff, santizsers, clearing of the surroundings and fumigation already done, stating ”everything the state government required is in place, we are ready to go.”
Principal of Rising Sun High School, Agodo-Egbe, Mr. Longe Olusegun said SS3 students are not on ground because the earlier information from the government was that schools will reopen on Tuesday, August 4 but confirmed the entire school, including the classrooms and teachers offices were fumigated by the state government on Saturday.
He warned that any SS3 students without face mask will not be allowed into the school compound, adding the management has made customize face mask for students and teachers, provide place basin washing of hands.
”We are expecting about 80 SS3 students, we will put them 20 in a class for spacing. We have provided three different face mask for students and teachers. When the students resume on Tuesday, they will be closely monitored to ensure social distancing. Our teachers are ready to tutor them for another two weeks before the May/June 2020 WASSCE.”
At Clemmy High School, Lagos, a staff showed our Correspondent things the school management had put in place preparatory to the arrival of the SS3 students on Tuesday and a poster on the gate, warning that no students will be allowed into the school without face mask.
She said: ”Fumigation was done on Monday, July 27 by the management. Our SS3 students resume tomorrow (Tuesday). We have everything required by government. We have purchased sanitisers, water for watching of hands and face mask for teachers.”
At St Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos, the school administrator declined to speak with our Correspondent but he observed that washing hand basin, posters at strategic places that students without face mask will not be allowed and repairs were still on-going.
At two public schools visited at Ejigbo and Ikotun, few SS3 students were on ground but lessons have not started. Some teachers told our Correspondent that today (Monday) was used to clean the classrooms, staff rooms and clear the surrounding but were silent if the schools have been fumigated by the state government.
The Lagos State Government in its bid to ensure compliance of public and private schools to Covid-19 protocols and guidelines for schools reopening, paid a random visit to some schools across the state.
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo led a monitoring team to assess the process in which the students were received, ensuring that Covid-19 protocols were strictly adhered to in order to reduce the risk of the disease to the barest minimum.
During an inspection tour of some public and private Schools at Education District IV around Yaba, Surulere and Apapa axis, Mrs. Adefisayo expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the schools, adding that the State Government is very concerned about the safety of students and their teachers. She stressed that their wellbeing is of utmost importance to the State Government.
Report from Abuja indicate that gate of schools were still shut as at Monday. An official of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun that FCT Education Secretariat was yet to take a decision (date) for reopening of schools as at last week.
The official added: “Officials of the FCT Education Secretariat had extensive meeting on the matter on Monday but was yet to decide on resumption date (as at Monday morning). “Hopefully, they would weigh all available options and arrive at a date for schools in FCT to reopen to enable exiting students participate in West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).”
