Federal Government has clarified that it is making plans for students in graduating classes to write their respective final exams contrary to reports that it is reopening schools.
Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, stated this on Wednesday, during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
The Minister pointed out that despite the closing of schools because of the coronavirus pandemic, exams are critical for the academic progress of students.
He said;
We presented to the PTF and by extension, the Federal Government, the plans by examination bodies to hold their exams. The exams are critical for how children progress.
We examined it and we felt that it is important to allow those examinations to take place but ahead of them taking place, it is important that those children who have not had the opportunity to revise their syllabus, should have an opportunity to go through that and have a revision class before the exams.
He added that;
Most people who can afford it are already saying they want to be at home and go to the exams from home, that is terrific.
However, we understand the limitations of the average Nigerian because not everybody can afford laptops and devices and so if there are people who do have this access and feel confident that their children are ready for the exams, well, we are not compelling anybody to go to any school. What we have done is make the facilities in our schools available.
According to him, education is on the concurrent legislative list and that the minister has asked;
State governments that own schools should provide places to wash hands, check the temperature of the children constantly, have sanitisers in place. Private schools should be able to provide that.
Nwajiuba said this is not a compulsion, adding that the government is just making the facilities available for those who want to write the exams.
The Federal Government has since March shut down schools nationwide to curtail the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
