Parents, teachers body to meet education minister Monday over 2020 WASSCE

By Emmanuel Olorunsola

The National President of Parents and Teachers under the platform of the National Parents Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Mr. Haruna Danjuma, has disclosed thatNAPTAN will request a meeting with the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, over the decision of the Federal Government on school reopening and the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Monday.

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At a press conference on Sunday, Danjuma said expectations were high that the minister would agree to a meeting as a matter of urgency. He said the association would be in the office of the Minister by 10 am towards booking a meeting with him.

READ ALSO: FG makes U-turn, says no more school resumption, no more WASSCE

Danjuma stated that the NAPTAN would be asking the Federal Government to reconsider its decision bearing in mind that parents were committed to protecting their children from contracting COVID-19 and that several students yearned for the WASSCE results to further their education.

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According to Danjuma, what is imperative is for the government, school administrators and examination bodies themselves to also implement measures that will ensure the safe conduct of WASSCE.

“I am yet to get an appointment with the Minister but tomorrow (Monday), we will try to get that appointment.

READ ALSO: FG concludes plans to disinfect schools before reopening

“The government should have a second look at this issue. There are those students who have sat for UTME and are awaiting WASSCE results. JAMB has released the result and some have got a very good result. We are trying to see that they sit for their WASSCE so that they can take it to seek their admission.

“We are appealing to government to look at this issue. We parents are ready to do all that is required to protect our children and once the government, school administrators, examination bodies play their own roles, there won’t be any problem,” Danjuma said.

Speaking in the same vein, NAPTAN National Officer, Oyo state, Mr Abiodun Jimoh stressed that parents were desirous of students sitting for WASSCE this year because of the negative effect that not sitting for the examination will have on the education of children.

Jimoh said the meeting will afford NAPTAN the opportunity to understand the thinking of the Federal Government in not reopening schools and declaring that students will not sit for WASSCE this year.

READ ALSO: Children are safer with us in school than in many homes -Oyo govt

“We want to understand why the Federal Government stopped the reopening of schools. We will be in the office of the minister at 10am tomorrow.

“The FG should allow schools to reopen. We, as parents, are ready to make provisions. We can’t afford to miss out on WAEC this year because it will negatively affect the education of our children,” he added.