COVID-19: ‘FG should adopt staggered reopening of schools’

The Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun state, Professor Peace Chinedum Babalola has called on the Federal government to adopt “staggered” resumption of schools.

Babalola, a professor of Pharmaceutical Science, spoke on Wednesday at the fifth Matriculation ceremony of the institution, which was conducted online in Abeokuta.

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The Federal Government had on Monday released guidelines, outlining actions, measures and requirements needed for the safe reopening of schools in the country.

But the VC who was reacting to the guidelines, said the government, in the meantime, could reopen schools for final year students at all levels to enable them finish their education in time.

According to her, to achieve social distancing, the government needs to “stagger” resumption of students.

“This pandemic we do not understand it fully and we do not know when it will end. We already know that there is a need for social distancing, there is a need for hygiene, wearing face masks and so on.

“So to ensure social distancing, we need to stagger resumption of students and we need to reopen schools for students that are in terminal classes, students that will take external examinations.

“Exams like West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is actually not just a Nigerian examination, it is a West African examination and they have announced that the exams will start in August, so I believe that while studying and understanding this disease, let start with the students in the terminal classes in all institutions, from nursery to university,” Babalola said.

The Chancellor and Chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Winifred Awosika in her goodwill message, called on the managements both private and public schools to cooperate with the government to achieve safe reopening of schools.

No fewer than one hundred and forty-eight students took matriculation oaths from different colleges of the institution.