Peace Itong
Different education stakeholders in Southwest region of Nigeria have begun to express concern on the likely consequences of the proposed school resumption in the region.
According to them, the proposed resumption may be disastrous as no basic facilities to curtail the spread of corona-virus in schools across the country.
The concern was raised by bodies like the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT; Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools; and the National Association of the Parent/ Teacher Association of Nigeria.
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They, however, disagreed with the decisions by state governments to reopen schools.
They also warned that the shortage or non-provision of toilets and hand washing facilities in schools will definitely put students at serious risk of getting infected with COVID-19.
According to the education bodies, government across the states should put the right measures in place to minimise the risk of exposing the students to the virus before re-opening the schools.
The Stakeholders said it would be better that schools remain closed for the rest of the year to minimise the risk than to reopen them.
They have warned that re-opening of schools now may be “an open invitation to tragic explosion of the pandemic since its outbreak if precautionary measures are not in place.
To them since necessary facilities such as hand washing facilities, running water, sanitizers and toilet facilities are still inadequate in schools, re-opening of schools to student is exposing them to serious risk of contacting the virus.
