Four months after the close of schools occasioned by the novel coronavirus, secondary schools in Lagos state on Monday re-opened to allow SS 3 and Technical Studies (TEC3) students to prepare ahead of the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) scheduled to commence on August 17, 2020.
The Federal Government had earlier directed that students in exit classes across the country be allowed to resume on August 4, 2020, for revision classes ahead of their forthcoming examinations.
In line with the FG’s pronouncement, the Lagos State Government directed all the SS3 and Technical Studies (TEC3) students in both day and boarding schools in the State to resume on Monday, August 3, 2020.
Our reporter who monitored resumption in some schools in Lagos state observed that both public and private schools were open to final year students.
At Agidingbi Senior Grammar School along Lateef Jakande road, Daily Trust observed a banner welcoming the students back from COVID-19 lockdown and also asking those with fever, cough, or shortness of breath not to enter the school premises.
From the gate, students, teachers and visitors’ temperature were checked by the security with an infrared thermometer while they are asked to use sanitizer before going into the school premises.
Both teachers and students were also seen wearing face masks while wash hand basins with portable water, soap and sanitizer were strategically located within the school premises and in front of the classrooms.
A staff of the school who spoke on condition of anonymity told our reporter that there was over 60 percent turn out of students to school on the first day of resumption, saying about 70 out of the 120 SS3 students were present in school.
He also said that the students have been divided into 20 per class so as to observe the social distancing directive while a classroom has been set aside as an isolation room in case of any emergency. “We also have a sick bay,” he said.
The school official made known that the state government had supplied infrared thermometer, hand sanitizer, buckets and face masks that would be distributed to the students as they all resume.
One of the security guards in the school told our reporter that the school had been fumigated before resumption.
A teacher at the Oduduwa Senior secondary opposite Zenith Bank, at the Ladipo spare part market road, Mushin said that 14 commercial and arts students and 12 science students reported to school.
He said that the students were asked to come with their face masks. It was observed that an infrared thermometer was used on every student and teacher as they came into the school while wash hand basins with soap and water were provided.
He, however, made known that there is no directive yet as to whether the students would be tested for COVID-19 or not.
SS3 student at the Agidingbi senior grammar school, Eze Blessing expressed happiness over school resumption, saying, it will help her prepare better for her examination.
“At the moment, I am about 70 percent prepared for the WASSCE but with the resumption, I will do better because there is power in collaboration and learning under a tutor amidst colleagues,” she said.
The Lagos State Government in its bid to ensure compliance of public and private schools to COVID-19 protocols and guidelines for schools reopening on Monday paid a random visit to some schools across the State to assess the process in which the students were received and ensuring that COVID-19 protocols were strictly adhered to in order to reduce the risk of the disease to the barest minimum.
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo who led a monitoring team during the inspection tour of some public and private Schools around Yaba, Surulere and Apapa axis, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of the schools, noting that the state government is concerned about the safety of students and their teachers.
She stated that students must not exceed 20 students per class in compliance to social distancing.
