Poor preparations threaten students resumption this week

Dayo Ojerinde, John Charles, Adeniyi Olugbemi,Wale Oyewale, Daud Olatunji Ada Wodu, Raphael Ede, Abiodun Nejo and Grace Edema

States were on Sunday divided over the Federal Government’s directive that the Senior Secondary School 3 pupils should resume on Tuesday in preparation for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations starting on August 17.

Findings by The PUNCH show that SSS3 pupils in Lagos, Benue, Kwara and Ogun states are preparing  for  resumption on Tuesday, while WASSCE candidates would resume in  Cross River State on Monday (today).

Enugu, Gombe and Rivers states have yet to announce the resumption dates for their  pupils, unlike Ekiti State, where pupils will resume on August 10.

The PUNCH’s investigations, however, showed that many state governments had yet to provide running water, hand-washing points and other non-pharmaceutical materials  stipulated in the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 guidelines for resumption of schools.

Recall that the Federal Government had on Monday said SSS3 pupils would resume on Tuesday. The Minister of State (Education), Emeka Nwajiuba, however, explained that only COVID-19 protocol compliant schools would resume.

According to him, schools must provide running water and hand-washing points sanitisers.

On Sunday, our correspondents observed that many state governments had not met all the PTF guidelines.

No sign of preparation in Benue schools

In Benue State, the state government has not put in place necessary measures that could prevent the spread of COVID-19  among pupils and teachers on their resumption.

The state government, through the Commissioner for Education,  Professor Dennis Ityavyar, had last  week announced  Tuesday as the date for  reopening of Primary 6, JSS 3 and SSS 3  classes.

Also, at the Mount Saint Gabriel Secondary School, Makurdi, St. Joseph Secondary School, Nyiman, and the LGA Pilot School, Wurukum, the situation was the same, as there was no facility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the premises.

At the Arabic School, Lobi Quarters, the  gate was locked,  but a peep into the premises through the fence indicated that the environment was bushy  which might pose a serious danger to  pupils on resumption.

Efforts to speak to the Commissioner for Education, Ityavyar, proved abortive as he could not be reached on the telephone. He did not respond to the SMS sent to him.

Give us PPE, others if you want us to resume, Gombe tells FG

In Gombe State schools, including  Orji Secondary, Gombe and Government Science, Lakanje, Kaltugo, there was no provision for hand-washing materials.

But the state Commissioner for Education, Dr Habu Dahiru, in an interview with The PUNCH,  said the state  had yet to decide on the date when its SSS3 pupils would resume.

He stated, “If the Federal Government will give us what is required to resume at their stipulated time, we will.  But if they can’t give us a penny and they say open on August 4, I don’t think that is fair. If they say open schools on August 4 and the NCDC (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control), prescribes necessary things, states should be given sometime to get them before schools are reopened.”

There are no teachers to handle extra-classes – Sokoto teacher

Also,  in Sokoto State, The PUNCH correspondent observed that schools had not started making preparations for resumption of SSS3 pupils.

The Sokoto State Government has announced Tuesday as resumption date for  SSS 3 pupils.

A visit to some of the schools clearly indicated that they were not in  compliance  with the guidelines.

At the Sultan Attahiru Secondary School, Sokoto,   there were no  wash- hand basins at the school entrance on Sunday.

A worker resident in the school said, “There are no wash-hand stations either with soap and sanitizers within the school premises.  A water reservoir is even a no-go Area.