Oyo: Makinde cancels 3rd term for students

The Oyo State Executive Council, headed by Governor Seyi Makinde, has cancelled the third term of the 2019/2020 session for primary and secondary school students.

The council approved a new academic calendar to guide the resumption of schools and other associated educational activities at a meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2020.

Schools were shut down across Nigeria in March as part of measures to combat the spread of the highly infectious coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Even though many restrictions on other sectors of the country have been eased, the issue of reopening schools while the spread of the disease remains active has been contentious.

The Oyo government announced in a statement late on Tuesday that promotion for students of all affected classes will be determined by continuous assessments in their first and second term results.

According to the calendar approved by the State Council, the first term of the 2020/21 academic session will commence on September 21, and end on December 18, 2020.

The second term will take place between January 11, 2021 and April 9, 2021; while the third term will take place between May 3, 2021, and July 30, 2021.

Students in terminal classes (Primary 6, JSS 3, and SSS 3) have also been instructed to proceed on holiday from July 30 and resume for their examinations on dates also approved by the council.

The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is scheduled to take place between August 10 and August 18, 2020, while the Competitive Entrance Examination into the Schools of Science will take place on August 19.

Placement and screening test into JSS 1 is scheduled for August 20, 2020, while placement test into technical colleges is scheduled for August 28, 2020.

SSS 3 students will resume for their examination as soon as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announces a date for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

An earlier scheduled date for the examination was scrapped after the Federal Government expressed concerns about the safety of students.