Ahead of the reopening of schools and universities, the Federal Government has listed six conditions every learning institution in the country must meet before reopening for academic activities amid coronavirus pandemic.
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, announced the conditions in Abuja on Tuesday.
Nwajiuba spoke at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
It would be recalled that Federal Government shut down all schools nationwide on March 19, 2020 as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Minister of State for Education has however said;
While we Iook forward to easing the Iockdown 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 (NCDC).
All Institutions must have (1) Hand-washing facilities, (2) Body temperature checks (3) 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 and (5) All efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene (6) Ensure Social and Physical Distancing in class sizes and meeting spaces.
Nwajiuba stressed that;
As a member of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, let me assure all compatriots that the Government is very much concerned about the long Iockdown of the nation’s education institutions in particular and the economy in general.
The Federal Government is doing everything possible to ensure that both lives and livelihood are given the top most priority that they deserve. We are aware that we must be alive to make a living while at the same time we are conscious that we must have a livelihood to stay a life.
According to him, the Presidential Task Force is working assiduously with facts and figures that mirror the reality of present current situation and circumstance, adding that;
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 commended some higher institutions for responding promptly with different innovations, including the manufacturing of some of the facilities that were required to attend to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The minister, however, warned them against reopening schools without the Federal Government’s authorization.
