COVID-19: President Buhari Approves Full Reopening Of Schools In Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed state governments and educational institutions to work towards potentially full reopening of schools.

Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, made the announcement at the PTF briefing on Thursday, September 3, 2020.

Aliyu directed the school administrators to conduct risk assessment, adding that the reopening would be done in phases.

“For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.

“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create, and monitor this level of preparedness.

“Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed. And if there will be the opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.”

KanyiDaily recalled in March, the Federal Government had ordered the closure of all schools across the country in a bid to check the spread of the COVID-19 among students.

But in July, the government approved reopening of schools for students who are currently sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).