The Federal Government says there is no definite date yet for the reopening of its primary, secondary and tertiary schools closed in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak so as not to put school children at risk of the virus infections.
Minister of State for Education, Chief Emeka Nwajiuba, said Tuesday in Abuja that despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s announcement of a gradual lockdown relaxation on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States, the environment must be safe for the schools to resume normal academic activities.
He noted that the West African Examinations Council has not cancelled its external exams as students will still have to go and take those exams when the government is assured of good care of the pupils.
According to Nwajiuba said: “The President actually addressed the issue of the opening of the economy gradually. Until that is done, we can’t foresee or immediately tell you when all the schools will be reopened. It will not be proper for us to simply give you a date. It has to be in tandem with these opening terms. We don’t want to put our children at risk. None of these schools can function on their own without the society.
“On the question of children promoting to the next class, those exams will happen when we are satisfied that the children have learnt what is enough for them to move. For those who are in the exit classes of junior basic and senior secondary schools, we are preparing them and will continue to.
“This will go on until we are sure that they are equipped for the external examinations. The West African Examinations Council has not cancelled their external exams. It was postponed indefinitely. This indefinite nature is so that we can get a definite date. Students will still have to go and take those exams when we are sure that we have taken good care of the pupils.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire,has said that the 15-member medical team from China who recently completed their compulsory 14-day quarantine have all tested negative for the COVID-19 virus.
The Health Minister had said that the Chinese medical experts will be providing technical support to Nigeria in its fight against COVID-19, and also sharing experiential strategies of how their country curtailed the spread of the virus.
“As for the Chinese persons who came in, the test has been done after they were quarantined for 14 days. All of them were negative. After that, the Federal Ministry of Health is done with that particular case,” Ehanire said.