COVID-19: Abia Government Releases Timelines For School Resumption

Abia State Government has announced that academic activities will resume on the 10th of August, 2020, to enable exit students take part in local and international examinations.

In a statement issued by the State Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi, on Sunday, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu ordered primary and secondary schools to reopen on Tuesday, 4th August, 2020.

The governor directed teachers, relevant education and health authorities to put in place necessary measures prior to resumption of full academic activities.

The timeline for activities leading to the return of students in exit classes for academic activities on the 10th of August, 2020, are as follows:

“1. Monday, 3rd August, 2020

a. Mobilization of leaders of fumigation teams in all the 17 LGAs of the State with each team including, at least, 3 environmental officers from the state ministry of environment and local governments to coordinate and monitor the fumigation exercise in all public primary and secondary schools in the state.

b. Private companies in the state engaged in fumigation business are hereby invited to a meeting at the International Conference Center, Umuahia, by 10am. They are to come with their operational equipment for display, review and possible approval to participate in the exercise.

c. All LGA Transition Council Chairmen and their education secretaries are also invited to attend the meeting at the International Conference Center.

“2. Tuesday, 4th August, 2020

a. All schools in the state will reopen with Head and other teachers expected to resume in their various schools to commence a dry run for the resumption of academic activities. They are also expected to attend school from thence till the conclusion of examinations for exit classes in both primary and secondary schools.

b. The state Ministry of Health, in partnership with the ministry of education, is to commence sample collection and testing for COViD-19 of all head teachers, teachers and all those expected to be part of the management of the relevant examinations in our public and private schools. Only those who test negative to the virus will be expected to continue attending classes or interacting with students and others involved in the management of the examinations.

c. Head teachers and others are expected to monitor the clearing, cleaning and fumigation exercises in the various schools and send reports through the relevant education secretaries in the 17 LGAs to the Honorable Commissioner for Education latest by 10am on the 5th of August, 2020.

“3. Wednesday, 5th August, 2020

a. Head teachers are to provide hand washing stations in all the schools as well as ensure that sick bays and isolation areas are readied prior to resumption of students.

b. The ministry of education is to provide detailed readiness evaluation report covering all primary and secondary schools in the State to the Governor for review.

c. State ministry of health, in partnership with the ministry of education, is expected to deliver pocket and table hand sanitizers, face masks and digital thermometers provided by the state government to all public schools in the state for free distribution to students, teachers and examination supervisors.

“4. Thursday & Friday, 6th & 7th August, 2020

“The state ministry of health is expected to conclude the teaching and training of all teachers on COVID-19 protocols as well as set up relevant monitoring teams that will ensure full compliance.

“Finally, the Governor directs that all private primary and secondary schools in the state ensure compliance with the resumption regulations or risk immediate closure”.

Ogun State Government also directed all secondary school teachers in the state to resume on Monday, August 3, ahead of the West African Senior Secondary Schools Examination (WASSCE) scheduled for August 17, 2020.