EVD: Sch To Resume In 3 States

Three states comprising Edo, Anambra and Ogun, on Monday expressed readiness to resume academic activities following Federal Government decision to stick to the September 22, 2014, earlier scheduled date for resumption of schools across the country.

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Vanguard reports that the information was conveyed by the Education commissioners of the aforementioned states, after several State Ministries of Education have also expressed readiness for schools to resume.

The ministries insisted that adequate measures have been put in place to contain any possible outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Diseases, EVD, in schools. 

According to Edo State Commissioner for Higher Education (Secondary, Tertiary and Technical), Barr. Washington Osifo, the date issued by the federal government to resume school was accepted by the state government.

He said the decision was based on the expert information they received from those saddled with the responsibility of certifying that schools are safe to resume. He revealed that the state government on September 11, 12 and 13, oranised training for all teachers across the three senatorial districts including those from private school.

Osifo said since the outbreak of the EVD, the state has been certified 100 per cent free from the deadly EVD, adding that some of the training it organized was not just to contain the virus but also to enlighten them on other contagious diseases that could be caused by improper hygiene amongst children.

Also Prof. Kate Omenugha, Anambra State Commissioner for Education confirmed that the state had been ready to curb the outbreak before the federal government directive was issued.

She revealed that the state government on Monday, September 15, 2014, trained 1, 044 Head teachers of Primary Schools, 21 Education Secretaries, as well as 256 Secondary School principals. He said his ministry has also scheduled a meeting with the Ministry of Health to further train about 5, 000 teachers this weekend. She noted that after several meetings with relevant stakeholders, the state is fully prepared for the September 22 resumption date. 

Similarly, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Segun Odubela, remarked that the state was also ready to commence academic activities as scheduled by the federal government. He said the ministry would train teachers on how to avoid the spread of the deadly virus from Tuesday to Thursday at four centres in the state.

Meanwhile, the issue of resumption date that had caused rift between the federal government and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) was reportedly resolved on September 15, 2014, as both parties finally arrived at a compromise on the September 22 nationwide resumption date for schools, although the NMA was initially against the proposed resumption date. It would be recalled that Federal Government had earlier announced that primary and secondary schools across the country should resume academic activities on 22 September, 2014.