COVID-19: Lagos Govt gives update on reopening of schools

The Lagos State government has explained that it does not have the authority to unilaterally order the reopening of schools in the State.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Education, Folashade Adefisayo during an online programme, ‘Covinspiration show,’ moderated by a United Nations (UN) Youth Ambassador, Dayo Israel in Lagos, while giving scorecard of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration within the last one year.

Adefisayo disclosed that the State government was meeting with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to draw up guidelines ahead of reopening of schools.

According to Adefisayo: “Like other sectors already approved by the Federal Government to reopen, the state government is meeting with officials of the Federal Ministry of Education to design guidelines that must be adopted before the schools will be reopened.

“We are watching the behaviour of the pandemic to see what happens next and we are working with the Federal government on the reopening of the schools in the country as soon as possible.

“This is not a decision that any state can unilaterally take on its own. If we are certain that the children are safe, we will reopen the schools for learning to resume.

“We are already working with the Federal Ministry of Education and they are working with National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the guidelines that could be adopted when the need arises for the schools to reopen.

“After the protocol is completed and health officials assured us that the coast is clear, we will give the schools some days to adjust their premises in accordance with the guidelines on commencement of academic activities”.

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Recession: School shuts down, others record low turnout

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu

For two decades, Telesis School, situated in the Alakuko area of Lagos, thrived as an academic centre, striving to provide sound education for many families resident in the community and its environs. But, as schools resumed across the country recently for a new academic session, the gates of the institution has remained shut to the teaching staff and pupils.

A former official in the Finance Department of the school told our correspondent, on condition of anonymity, on Thursday that the closure was due to the present economic recession in the country.