THE Federal Government, on Tuesday, announced that all private and public primary and secondary schools should remain closed till October 13, as preventive measure against the spread of the deadly Ebola virus disease in the country.
Minister of Education, Mallam Shekarau Ibrahim, who briefed newsmen in Abuja after a consultative meeting with state commissioners of education, warned that it would be a criminal act for any school to reopen from the holidays, in contravention of the directive.
Shekarau said it was a unanimous decision of the stakeholders at the meeting that the schools remained shut, while the Federal Government continued in the efforts to eradicate the epidemic in the country.
The minister also announced immediate suspension of all organised summer classes going on in the country.
The Federal Government also ordered all tertiary institutions to suspend forthwith, staff and students exchange programmes, as well as major international seminars and workshops until further notice.
Shekarau told newsmen that all state Ministry of Education had been similarly directed to work in collaboration with health workers in the monitoring of the schools before and after reopening.
He said each private and public school would be required to train, at least, two desk officers, in collaboration with ministry of health officials on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitisation of all teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools on preventive measures.
“Myself and all state commissioners of education met today, August 26, to discuss issues related to the reopening of schools for the new academic year (2014/2015) vis-à-vis the Ebola epidemic issue.
“The meeting was also attended by senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Health. At the end of the meeting, the following decisions, among others, were arrived at as preventive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all students in our schools throughout the federation.
“All primary and secondary schools, both public and private, are to remain closed until Monday, October 13, 2014 which is the new school resumption date for all schools throughout the federation. This is to ensure that adequate preventive measures are put in place before the students report back to school.
“All state Ministries of Education are to immediately organise and ensure that at least two staffers in each school, both public and private, are trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitisation of all teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools on preventive measures. This training of staff must be concluded not later than September 15, 2014.
He charged all primary and secondary schools to comply with the directives, while calling for support by state ministries of education, to ensure effective implementation of the preventive measures.
Shekarau added that a meeting with all state commissioners of education will hold on September 23, to review the situation in all states.
Source: Tribune
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