FG Rolls out Guidelines for Reopening of Schools

The Nigerian federal government has rolled out guidelines for the reopening of educational institutions.

All primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the country were shut in March when the federal government unveiled measures to battle the spread of COVID-19.

This is coming as there seems to be a major breakthrough in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available low-dose United Kingdom steroid drug, has shown efficacy for preventing critically-ill COVID-19 patients from dying.

However, barely three days to the planned reopening of worship centres, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended the plans, citing the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state.

The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, rolled out the guidelines for the reopening of schools in Abuja yesterday.

He spoke at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Nwajiuba said: “All institutions must have hand-washing facilities; body temperature checks; body disinfectants at all entering points to their major facilities, including the gates, hostels, classes, offices, etc; the whole premises of each institution must be decontaminated; all efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene and institutions must ensure social and physical distancing in class sizes and meeting spaces.”

The minister hailed the higher institutions for responding promptly to the pandemic challenges by coming up with different innovations, including the manufacturing of some of the facilities that were required to attend to COVID-19 patients.

He warned them against reopening schools without the federal government’s approval.

“While we look forward to easing the lockdown, which will ultimately lead to re-opening of our campuses, I urge all the heads of institutions not to wait till the announcement on reopening before putting in place all necessary measures in compliance with the protocols and advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,” he stated.