Nigerian universities and COVID-19 protocols

When ASUU called off the longest strike ever in the history of this country, the National Universities Commission came up with a number of protocols to be observed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus among students in universities.

With the rising number of COVID-19 infections in the country and the need to open schools, which have been closed since the pandemic set in, the NCC drew up a protocol that should be observed to prevent the spread of the virus. The protocols include the use of face masks and hand sanitisers and social distancing among others.

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Many universities in Nigeria have fully resumed academic activities, unfortunately in most, if not all, the protocols set out by the NCDC to prevent the spread of the virus, are breached due to some realities.

First, there’s serious dilapidation of infrastructure in most of the universities. Lack of adequate lecture halls is not a new issue in our universities. Many students take lectures in crowded lecture halls.

Secondly, the hostels are mostly overpopulated; a room that’s meant for only four is being used by up to 10 students thus making compliance with CPVID-19 protocol impossible.

There is, therefore, the need for the government to intervene and provide a solution to inadequate lecture halls and accommodation for students so as to prevent them from COVID-19 and other related communicable diseases.

Abdulsalam Alkali resides in Maiduguri