There is no date yet for schools in the country to resume despite the
announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari, on a gradual lockdown
relaxation on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun
States, the Federal Government has said.
The government also said
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 sure to have taken good care of the pupils.
The
Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, said this while
replying to a question during the daily briefing by the Presidential
Task Force on COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister explained that the
Federal Ministry of Education could not foresee or give any date when
schools would be resuming in the country.
Nwajiuba noted that the federal government was not ready to put children at risk by opening schools.
The
minister 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.”
