FG Talks On School Resumption (See Details)

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The Federal Government has revealed that plans are being made to reopen schools nationwide soon, but that this will not be done as speculated in two weeks time. This was made known during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 news conference in Abuja by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, following rumors that the Federal Government would reopen schools in the next two weeks.

As part of measures to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal government had ordered the permanent closure of educational institutions nationwide.

Nwajiuba said the schools would be reopened when school children's health could be assured. He said the government is taking care not to endanger the school children's lives and spread the coronavirus further in society.

He added that his ministry is working with other relevant stakeholders and government agencies to put in place necessary measures that would ensure children's safety before the schools are reopened.

He said: "We are both very interested in reopening and I think we're going to reopen really soon. But I can't confirm what your kids have said we will reopen in two weeks ' time.

"The five West African Examination Council (WAEC) countries are meeting and I just came out of a meeting with education ministers of the African Union ( AU), everyone is as concerned as you are. We hope to reopen in a very short time.

"I met up with the Ministry of Science and Technology this morning. We are looking to put in place a system that can disinfect every child as he enters a school and desinfect him as he goes out.

"If we properly resource our schools we can start reopening. Yet we need to be able to make sure that the children go healthy and come out healthy and not become a vector in society for further infection.