Ebola: FG directs schools to re-open Oct 13
The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, gave the
directive when he briefed newsmen after a meeting with Commissioners for
Education in Abuja .
``The minister and all commissioners met today, August 26,
to discuss issues related to the reopening of schools for the new academic year
vis-Ă -vis the Ebola epidemic issue.
``At the end of the meeting, the following decisions were
arrived at as preventive measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing 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 resumption date for all schools throughout the
federation.
``This is to ensure that adequate measures are put in place
before the students report back to school,’’ Shekarau said.
Shekarau said the meeting also agreed that all Ministries of
Education should immediately organise training for at least two staff in each
public and private school.
He said schools must ensure that the training was given by
appropriate health personnel on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD).
He said the training of such staff must be concluded not
later than September 15.
The minister also directed all the state ministries to
establish a Working and Monitoring Team
and also appoint a designated Desk Officer on Ebola.
Shekarau said the officers must report on daily basis to the
commissioners on situation in the schools not later than September 1.
He also ordered the immediate suspension of ongoing summer
classes conducted by some private schools.
According to him, all private primary and secondary schools
must comply with the directives, which also apply to Federal Government
Colleges.
He, therefore, urged state governments to support their
ministries with all necessary funds to ensure effective implementation of these
measures.
Shekarau said that all tertiary institutions were advised to
suspend exchange of staff and students’ programmes, visits, and major
international seminars and workshops until further notice.
``They are to monitor movements of foreign students in their
campuses and liaise with appropriate government health institutions to organise
and ensure effective sensitisation programme for all their staff,’’ he said.
The minister said that he would be meeting again with all
the commissioners on September 23, to review the situation in all states.
He said that appropriate sanctions would be taken against
any defaulter of the directives.
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