The Federal Government, on Thursday, September 3, revealed that state governments and school administrators should start making preparations for the full reopening of schools in the country, as part of measures towards a post COVID-19 economy.
BestXplorer had reported that schools in the country were shut in March as part of measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the FG announced the resumption of graduating pupils effective August 4, 2020, to write this year’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination from August 17, 2020, through September 12, 2020.
This stance by the FG was contained during a press briefing by the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, in Abuja; stating that the task force recommends phased return of students to classrooms.
Aliyu said, “For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.
“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create, and monitor this level of preparedness.
“Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed.
“And if there will be opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases; to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public; and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, September 2, approved the release of food items; from the nation’s strategic reserves in a bid to tackle the high cost of food in the country.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Buhari, Garba Shehu, in Abuja.
He said President Buhari had expressed concern about the hike in food prices; at a time the economy was seriously hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The president has just approved the release of food items from the strategic reserves; including 30,000 tons of maize to animal feeds producers; to ease the high cost of poultry production.
“President Buhari’s administration has raised some of these issues with the various food producer associations involved; particularly those of rice and other grains.
“With their cooperation, the high food prices should soon be a thing of the past.
