School reopening: Seven states shun FG’s directive

State governments on Sunday differed on the Federal Government’s directive that schools in the country should remain shut till January 18 as part of efforts to curb COVID-19 second wave.

While states such as Kogi, Anambra, Plateau and Ekiti said  their schools would  resume on  January 18, Rivers, Cross River, Gombe, Sokoto, Zamfara, Delta and Oyo states shunned the Federal Government’s directive.

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Following the outbreak of COVID-19 second wave, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19,  at its press conference on December 21, said all  schools in the country would remain shut till January 18.

The PTF Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who addressed the press conference, said, “The PTF on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Education, expects that schools would have vacated from the 18th December, 2020 and remain closed till at least the 18th of January, 2021 to enable the measures introduced to take effect.”

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The measures, according to the PTF, include social distancing and installation of hand-washing materials.

The Cross River State Commissioner for Quality Education, Dr. Godwin Amanke in an interview with newsmen stated that schools in the state would resume Jan 11, because they do not have an imminent threat of  COVID-19. While the Gombe State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Habu Dahiru maintained that the January 18 resumption date was for epicenters like Lagos, FCT.

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Also rejecting the January 18 resumption date, the Zamfara state commissioner of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the state receives directives from its governor, not PTF. The Delta State Government also insisted on the January 11 resumption date, adding that the country was a federation.

While Rivers state education commissioner Ebeku, said schools were not the only avenue for social gatherings, citing situations in worship centers, markets, and villages.