FG cautioned against school reopening

The Anap Foundation COVID-19 Think Tank, a group established to respond to the coronavirus disease in Nigeria, says the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to reopen schools portends a great danger to the pupils, students, teachers and their families.

The government had approved the reopening of schools for pupils and students in primary six, Junior Secondary School 3 and Senior Secondary School 3 to enable the pupils/students prepare for examinations to complete a phase of their education.

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But in a statement on Sunday, Atedo Peterside and Abubakar Mohammed, the chairman and the vice-chairman of the foundation respectively, urged the government to be mindful of the data showing an increase in the number of cases.

“The science and data reveal that the pandemic is currently at the community transmission phase and is still approaching its peak.

“Having school children from different homes gather in enclosed classrooms and interacting closely for long hours at this stage of our epidemic will, in our opinion, portend great danger forthe pupils, their teachers and their immediate families.

“Though the PTF has specified appropriate protocols as safeguards, we are aware that most schools, especially the public ones, will not have the required resources to put these in place, nor the wherewithal to moderate children’s behaviour,” they said.