Gbenro Adesina
The Federal Government has approved the gradual reopening of schools in Nigeria closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, asking school administrators to start preparing for the full resumption of learning activities.
The reopening is expected to be done in phases.
Speaking on Thursday, September 3, 2020, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, said the task force recommends phased return of students to classrooms.
He 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.
“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct 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.”
Aliyu also announced that the nationwide curfew has been reviewed and will now be from 12am to 4am.
“We are modifying the curfew to commence from 12 midnight to 4am nationwide, effective from 12:00 tonight.
“This does not apply to people on essential services and international travellers that might be returning from abroad,” Aliyu said.
The curfew first implemented on May 4, 2020, was initially from 6pm to 8 am. It later moved to 10 pm and 4am on June 1, 2020.
