The Federal Government says it can not open schools until it is sure “our children can go to school and return safely without taking COVID-19 home”. The Minister of State Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 36th joint national briefing of the taskforce.
The minister, who denied the reports that the PTF said schools would reopen in the country on June 8, said the government could not afford to take any costly risk, especially as it regards the safety of pupils and students in the country.
He said: “Until we are sure these children can go to school, return safely and not bring up with them COVID-19 and infect people who are more susceptible than they are, then we are running a huge risk and God forbid, in our hurry, something happens to our children, I am not sure how anybody will be able to retrieve what has been lost.”
He appealed to private owners of schools to co-operate with the government in ensuring a safe reopening.
“We are going to publish a specification on what we expect COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 reopening to look like.
“We are not talking about coping with COVID-19 but in spite of COVID-19, we expect that we will adapt.
“We are not talking about coping with COVID-19 but in spite of COVID-19, we expect that we will adapt.
“For a country that has over 115,000 primary schools, you will understand that 35,000 of these who are private must agree to set up the same standard in other to allow children to go in.”
He added: “The material that the chairman of the PTF spoke about, which is an announcement purportedly from him, that we’re reopening all schools on the 8th June did not emanate from us.
“We are going to prepare as much as possible within the guidance that they offer us with their expertise, working in conjunction with the WHO before we reopen schools.”
Credit: Daily Trust