THE Federal Government, has announced a new resumption date for all private and public primary and secondary schools across the country which is 22nd, September, 2014.
Recall that, schools were originally meant to reopen last Monday, September 8th, 2014 but was later shifted to 13th October, 2014. The Federal Government said after evaluating the progress made in containing the spread of the virus, has decided to announce a new resumption date which is now September, 22nd, 2014.
Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who briefed newsmen in Abuja after a consultative meeting with the State Commissioners of Education,
said the new date was as a result of the near containment of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.
He said with new preventive measures put in place by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health in the country especially in all the schools to contain EVD, it is now safe to recall students back to classroom.
The Minister said it was a unanimous decision of the stakeholders at the meeting that the schools reopen on Monday, 22nd September, 2014 while the Federal Government continues in the effort to eradicate the epidemic.
Shekarau, said that all State Ministry of Education have been similarly directed to continue to work in collaboration with health workers in the monitoring of the schools before and after reopening.
He said each private and public school had been required to train at least two desk officers in collaboration with ministry of health officials on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitization of all Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff in all schools on preventive measures.
According to him, “At the end of this emergency meeting, the following decisions were arrived at as preventive measures to which has been put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all students in our schools throughout the Federation.
“All Primary and Secondary schools, both Public and Private which were supposed to remain closed until Monday 13th October, 2014 will now reopen on Monday 22nd September, 2014 which is the new school resumption date for all schools throughout the Federation.
“All State Ministries of Education are to continue in the training of at least two (2) staff in each school, both Public and Private, by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also continue on the sensitization of all Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff in all schools on preventive measures. This training of staff must be concluded before the new resumption date.
“All State Ministries of Education should establish a Working and Monitoring Team for effective supervision of school activities before and after opening of schools.
“Each State Ministry of Education should appoint a designated Desk Officer not later than who should also receive appropriate training and who must report on daily basis to the Honourable Commissioner on situation in the schools. The names of such Desk Officers, their phone numbers and e-mail addresses should be communicated to the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education before the new resumption date.
“All Primary and Secondary schools, both Public and Private should be provided with a minimum of two (2) Blood Pressure Measuring Equipment by the State Ministries of Education. The State Ministries should determine the number of such equipment required and forward same to the Federal Ministry of Education before resumption date. The Federal Ministry of Education will liaise with the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that appropriate equipment are procured.
“All the above measures shall also apply in all Federal Government Colleges.
“State Governments are called upon to support their State Ministries of Education with all necessary funds to ensure effective implementation of these preventive measures”.
