FG urges state governments to prepare for full school reopening

Due to COVID-19 outbreak, the FG shut all schools in the country to curb the spread of the disease in Nigeria.

However, four months after, the government approved the partial reopening of schools in August for students in exit class.

But during a briefing o Thursday, September 3, 2020, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu said the task force has recommended phased return of students.

Speaking at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Aliyu said, “For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.

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“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct a risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create, and monitor this level of preparedness.

“Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed. And if there will be opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.”

Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State recently directed all tertiary institutions under the control of the state government to reopen on Monday, September 14, 2020.