COVID: Reopen schools, put safety measures in place — Stakeholders urge govt

*Schools not drivers of pandemic – UNICEF

*Closure of varsities unconstitutional, disastrous — Afe Babalola

STAKEHOLDERS in education sector, have urged Federal Government to reopen schools and put safety measures in place to stem the spread of Coronavirus.

Among the stakeholders who raised their voices on school reopening include Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, and Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

As United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, UNICEF, warned that closure of schools for too long will have impact negatively on the development, safety and well-being of children globally, adding that schools are not drivers of the viral disease.

This is even as renowned lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, described the continued closure of schools as unjust. 

The Federal Government had set Monday, January 18 as resumption date for schools in the country, though the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu had said the date was not sacrosanct.

UNICEF warns

UNICEF had warned that the effects of closing schools for another year will affect the generations to come, maintaining that despite overwhelming evidence that schools are not drivers of the pandemic, it is not necessary to continue locking them.

“In the case of lock-downs, schools must be among the first to reopen once authorities start lifting restrictions.

“Catch-up classes should be prioritised to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind.

“If children are faced with another year of school closures, the effects will be felt for generations to come,” UNICEF warned.

The UN agency noted that the number of out-of-school children is has risen to 24 million, a level not yet seen in years and to a level it has fought so hard to overcome. 

ASUU’s position

The National President of  ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, said his union is not opposed to reopening schools but noted that the needful should be done by the government.

"Did UNICEF say schools should reopen without  putting the necessary safety measures in place? We have had some situations in the country where a large number of school children tested positive to the disease.  The younger ones are even stronger and have immunity that is stronger than the elderly.

"We have seen professors die like chickens. We must say this: That we are not opposed to the reopening of schools but the needful must be done. Let the government implement safety guidelines they rolled out last July. 

"In the guidelines, they said all stakeholders must assess the situation in each school and agree that everything is okay before such schools are reopened.  The prescription they have made will not be implemented by angels or some people from Mars. They must provide the enabling environment and that is what we need," he said.

Nation Union of Teachers

The National Secretary of the NUT, Dr Mike Ene, and the National Treasurer, Comrade Segun Raheem, noted that UNICEF had been contributing greatly to the welfare of children worldwide and would not want any government to do anything to jeopardise their welfare.

Ene said though it is inimical to keep students at home perpetually, only those who are alive could strategise.

“If we know what we can do to get the children back to school without putting their lives and those of others in danger, no problem. Public places like markets and others are opened. We can open the schools but with modifications. We can also apply more measures than the ones we have on ground now.

"Research has shown that crimes like rape were on the increase during the lock-down, but if students are engaged positively, there will be no issues. Interestingly, we are gradually getting used to the safety protocols. My small child knows the importance of face-mask, sanitiser, and other safety measures,” Ene said.

Raheem said education drives the economy of any nation, but added that anything that could spread the virus should be put at bay.

“My take on the matter is that we know large gatherings help spread the disease and schools are large gatherings; we must not only be safety conscious but must provide necessary facilities and adhere to all protocols. Do we have all these in place?" he asked.

NANS frowns at continued shutdown of schools

Similarly, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of NANS, Comrade Kappo Samuel Olawale, said as long as some schools in the country are in session and had been able to cope with the pandemic with no cases reported, schools should reopen.

"It is clear that we do not have the technology to administer virtual learning as it is being done in developed nations, but this should not mean a pause to the education of Nigerian children. We are learned adults and will adhere to all safety protocols. We are confident that our members will not breach any protocol meant to protect them," he said.

Olawale also called on the authorities to provide the facilities needed for the safety of all stakeholders.

Parents want children back to schools

The National President of NAPTAN, Haruna Danjuma, in his reaction, said his association and parents at large are weary of students staying at home.

He,however, promised that like his association did during the outbreak of Ebola some years back when it helped in the provision of safety facilities, it will do so again.

“There is no need for this confusion. All other public places are opened. My fear is that  government is shying away from the provision of facilities for safe reopening of schools. Parents, students are ready to comply with all protocols, let the government do its own part," he stated.

Closure of varsities unconstitutional, disastrous — Afe Babalola

Lending his voice to the need to reopen schools, yesterday, legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, described as unconstitutional the mass closure of Nigerian universities by the Federal Government due to the second wave of COVID- 19 pandemic .

Babalola, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti at a press conference about attempts by the Federal Government to defer  resumption of universities earlier slated for January 18, said such action will turn out to be counter-productive and disastrous to the education sector, especially closing down of private schools without prior consultation.

According to Babalola said: "I am of the firm view that mass closure of schools is unconstitutional, disastrous and counter productive.

"It is certainly unjust to the parents, teachers, students and proprietors of schools and also violates the rule of natural justice."

Babalola disclosed that the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had taken all these into consideration when it officially recommended that universities should be accorded preferential treatment under COVID-19 in terms of operations.

"The USCDC said universities are different in terms of size , geographical location, structure and in their abilities to take measure that will guarantee minimum risk to students and teachers in their schools, which in turn will ensure disrupted and on-campus learning for students.

"On the contrary, universities which do not possess these facilities are within high risk category.

"I hereby strongly advise that the Federal Government should stop mass closure of schools. All schools, particularly the private universities that have the required world-class health facilities and have complied with Presidential Task Force regulations which will enable them to implement low to medium risk measures ought not and should not be shut down," he said.

He insisted that his 11 years old university had been having a smooth and uninterrupted academic calendar before abrupt disruption by COVID-19, thereby stalling operations of the university, in spite of the world class facilities it parades to prevent the spread of the lethal disease.

The legal luminary added: "The Federal Government should know that schools in Ekiti are safer than that located in the heart of Lagos. We must consider the geographical location. Any worker here who goes to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt goes for special test and seven days isolation. This underscores the level.of our preparedness."

He urged the Federal Government to emulate foreign countries by paying the salaries of lecturers in private universities, which were shut down because of COVID-19.

Babalola reminded Federal Government that should the low-risk private universities remain shut down to wait for high-risk one will make the ivory towers remain comatose for long .

On whether he will approach   the court to challenge the closure of private universities, Babalola said: 

"I am not going to court because we have not exhausted the option of negotiation and local remedy. I am a friend of the FG and I know that the Attorney-General of the Federation  will look into it”.

On how his university had been affected, Babalola explained:  “We can’t even quantify our losses. We have been following international standard, which was September to July academic session before this global problem.

"We have done seven convocations in ten years . We used to pay salaries on the 24th of the month and nobody has been sacked, despite this suspension of work. But this has affected our purse. How can we be paying for services not rendered? This is unfair.

Coronavirus second wave: Virus spreading fast with mild symptoms – NCDC alerts Nigerians

Meanwhile, Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has warned that the Coronavirus pandemic is spreading fast, causing mild symptoms in some victims and severe illnesses and death in others.

Ihekweazu disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

He said that many victims have continued to experience fatigue and other symptoms, even after recovery.

According to him, in the last four weeks, the country has recorded a spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases.

“We have now reported over 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, and this is a stark reminder of the reality we live in now.

“A virus that has affected over 100,000 lives and led to over 1,300 deaths within 11 months in Nigeria, with millions more globally.

“We cannot be too careful. The silent face of COVID-19 with which you cannot tell whether someone has the virus or not, the only option before us is to take protective measures at all times,“ he said.

Meanwhile, Ihekweazu said that healthcare workers needed now to maintain a higher index of suspicion for COVID-19, noting that “if people were unwell, they should first rule out COVID-19 before treating malaria."

COVID-19 scare: Lagos enforces ‘No face mask, no entry’ in Alausa Secretariat 

....As Lagos Assembly suspends Jumat prayers 

Lagos State government, has enforced COVID-19 safety protocols on staff and visitors at the state’s Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

As early as 7a.m, when the gates of the Secretariat were opened for normal activities, a safety team from the state government, including security personnel, were seen screening everyone coming into the premises for clearance.  

Those who did not keep to the basic safety protocols like the use of a face mask were turned back to get a face mask, while safety officers were checking temperature levels, with infrared-thermometer.

Similarly, the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, has issued a new directive to workers on safety protocols.

Muri-Okunola, in an internal memo, addressed to Accounting Officers, decried the spate at which civil servants are testing positive to Covid-19, saying that the development calls for serious concern and caution.

The memo reads: “I wish to note with deep concern the spate at which Officers are testing positive to COVID-19 and hereby enjoin all Accounting Officers to come up with Duty Rosters to stem the outbreak in your respective MDAs.

“The roster should be prepared with an Officer having to report for duty at most twice a month.

“Please note that this directive is without prejudice to existing directives and only reinforces same which are in effect and compliance abysmal.”

Lagos Assembly suspends Jumat prayers

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly Muslim Community has suspended Jumat prayer activities until further notice.

The League of Imams, in a statement, yesterday, said the suspension became necessary to curtail the spread of COVID-19 which is increasing in number on daily basis in the state.

The statement reads: “We, the Muslim Community of the Assembly, would cooperate with the State Government by following and obeying its directive on reducing the spread of the second wave of COVID-19. 

“We are not going to put the lives of our Muslim brothers and sisters in danger. Hence, there is a need to advise our Muslim faithful to stay away from Jumat Service indefinitely pending the outcome of further government directive.” Culled from  Vanguard & Daily Post