Despite the presidential announcement easing the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, there is no update yet on when public schools will resume.
This was made known by the Minister of State for Education, Mr Emeka Nwajiuba, during a press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Tuesday in Abuja.
Recall that President Buhari had on Monday, relaxed the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Lagos and Ogun states; leading to posers from the public about how relaxation will affect schools closed in the wake of COVID-19 debuting in Nigeria.
Mr Nwajiuba said that the Federal Ministry of Education could not foresee or give any date when schools will be resuming in the country.
He 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.”
When asked about students moving to the next level and how it would affect them, the minister said that preparations are being made and these plans will be implemented when they are satisfied that children promoting have learnt enough.
He said, “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.”
He debunked the story making the rounds that the West African Examination Council, WAEC has cancelled their exams, adding that the examination body had only postponed it indefinitely.
He said, “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.”
