The Katsina State government on Sunday ordered schools across the state to resume academic activities on October 3.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr. Badamasi Lawal, gave the directive in a statement issued by the ministry’s spokesman, Sani Danjuma, in Katsina.
He said students on day and boarding schools would resumes classes on October 4.
The schools were initially slated to resume on September 13, the government postponed the resumption to allow adjustments to the schools’ timetable.
The commissioner said the resumption was for the completion of 3rd term academic activities for the 2020/2021 session including in schools in areas rocked by insecurity.
Lagos State government on Monday released the guidelines for resumption of public and private schools across the state for the 2021/2022 academic session.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, said in a statement issued by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs in the ministry Mr. Ganiu Lawal, schools are expected to resume on September 13 while students in Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools would resume in batches from September 19.
She said boarding students in the Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools and Senior Secondary 2 students seeking placement into SS3 class would resume on September 10.
Adefisayo said: “The revision for this class will run from September 20 to September 26 while promotion examination to SS3 class will start from September 27 to October 8, 2021.
The newly admitted JS1 students into Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools are to resume October 2 for a one-week orientation programme which will intimate them on the secondary school structure and modalities.
“Other returning students in JSS 2, JSS 3, SS1, and SS2 in the various Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools are to resume on October 9 while classes for these set of students will begin on Monday, October 11, 2021.
The commissioner revealed that the adoption of staggered resumption for Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools was due to the presence of 2020/2021 SS3 students currently writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Kwara Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has directed principals, teachers, and staff of the yet to be opened grant-aided mission schools to report at their respective schools on Friday.
Malam Bello Abubakar, the Chairman of the commission, gave the order in a statement issued by TESCOM Press Secretary, Mr Peter Amogbonjaye, on Thursday, March 18, in Ilorin.
It quoted Abubakar as saying that the teachers’ resumption became necessary to prepare the final year students for their external examinations.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that 10 affected grant-aided mission schools had been shut in Ilorin since Feb. 19, over the use of Hijab by Muslim female students.
The State Government had directed resumption on March 8, allowing the use of Hijab by willing female students after meeting with stakeholders, but rescinded the decision for safety reasons.
In furtherance, the government announced the reopening of the schools on March 17 but was met with resistance by some Christian faithful, thus the controversy.
This led to violence in some of the schools on Wednesday, which took the intervention of security personnel to control.
However, two days after the government’s pronouncement on resumption, the schools remained locked with the exception of ECWA Secondary School, Oja Iya.
The statement quoted the TESCOM chairman as saying that any staff that failed to report to duty would face the full wrath of the law as the government will not condone any act of insubordination.
”He also warned all stakeholders against taking laws into their hands, stressing that peace meeting continues between the government and the stakeholders.
”He explained that the government regretted the inconveniences the shutdown might cause the students, saying that the action was taken in the interest of peace.
He also appealed to parents and the members of the public to remain calm as the government is on the top of the situation since its meeting with stakeholders is still ongoing,” the statement read in part.
The 10 affected schools include C&S College Sabo-Oke; St. Anthony’s Secondary school, Offa Road; ECWA School, Oja Iya; Surulere Baptist Secondary School and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam.
Others are CAC Secondary School, Asa Dam road; St. Barnabas Secondary School, Sabo-Oke; St. John School Maraba; St. Williams Secondary School Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School, Maraba.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered full enforcement of the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations. The executive order was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 26.
Adamu ordered Assistant Inspectors General of Police in the 17 zonal commands, Commissioners of Police in 36 and the Federal Capital Territory to comply by ensuring immediate implementation.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba made the announcement in a statement on Monday.
Adamu said the regulation gives the Nigeria Police and other agencies of government the powers to implement and prosecute defaulters.
Police officers will target public places, religious centers, offices, schools, event centres, bars, clubs, malls banks, public transport vehicles, among others. They are to enforce restrictions on gatherings and the use of face masks.
Adamu advised the public to voluntarily comply with the provisions of the law for general safety. The IGP, however, cautioned officers to be firm, professional, civil and respect citizens while enforcing the order.
Public primary schools in Edo State are to resume unfailingly by February 1, 2020, the state government has announced.
The government warned that any teacher who fails to resume will be sanctioned.
The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., disclosed this in a statement while adding that the “government has activated the No Work, No Pay policy.”
The statement read, “This is to inform all parents, teachers and the general public that all public primary schools in Edo State shall resume full activities on Monday 1st February 2021.
“Parents are expected to make their children and wards ready for resumption on this date. The Edo State Government wishes to reemphasize that all public school teachers and head teachers are required to be present in their various schools.
“Failure to resume work would be considered a forfeiture of salary as the government has activated the No Work, No Pay policy.”
Ogie further said, “Head teachers and teachers who are desirous of staying away from work in support of the sponsored strike action by certain elements of the Edo State Branch of the National Union of Teachers, are required to hand over all school property in their custody to their respective Education Secretaries.
“The Edo State Government through the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is collaborating with the relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of all public schools and any willful destruction of government property will be met with criminal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”
The directive followed the planned protests by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in the state on February 1.
The Union says the state government has failed to meet its 10-points demands.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Tuesday said over 24,000 children were yet to resume in the state after the first lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Sanwo-Olu revealed this in a briefing at the State House, Ikeja, on COVID-19.
He said, “After the first lockdown, we are still looking for about 24,000 children that have not come back to school. So, there is a challenge if you keep them out for that long.
“Their parents or guardians now turn them to other things instead of allowing them to come back and learn.
“We just don’t want to throw them (out) because they will just be roaming about the streets and become more endangered. You see incidents of child abuse and unprintable things that are being done to these children.
“We believe that schools, sometimes, happen to be the safe haven for them and we have done a roaster.
“We are monitoring. We are not saying that our position is sacrosanct and (it) can be reviewed down the line. If we monitor and realise that people are not taking responsibility, we make a recall and that is why decisions will be reviewed from time to time.”
As public and private schools resume their academic sessions today, former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani has reacted to the reopening of schools despite the surge of Covid-19 across the country.
Sani made his reaction known via a tweet on his official Twitter handle on Monday.
Sani said state governments should pay more attention in ensuring adherence to COVID-19 measures and not the Federal Government.
He further said the government was confused on how the second wave of COVID-19 should be tackled.
The tweeted read: “Reopening schools and other #COVID19 regulatory measures should be a matter for the states and not the FG; the 36 states, including FCT have different infection rates. There is evident confusion on how to tackle the second wave.”
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the Federal Government had fixed January 18, 2021 as the scheduled day for schools across the country to reopen.
The resumption has caused fear among some Nigerians.
The Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 , on Tuesday , said schools in the country will resume on January 18 until the Ministry of Education announces further directive.
PTF National Coordinator , Dr Sani Aliyu, stated this while featuring on a television programme monitored by the punch.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Minister of Education , Adamu Adamu , on Monday , said the Federal Government would review the January 18 earlier date fixed for resumption of schools across Nigeria.
The minister , who spoke at a PTF briefing in Abuja , attributed the decision to the second wave of COVID – 19 currently ravaging the country .
Speaking further on the issue on Tuesday , the PTF coordinator said the minister did not say the date has been changed .
Aliyu said , “ As regards schools , I just want to make a clarification , what the minister said yesterday was that they were going to review, he didn’t say that they were going to change the date. He said they will review the situation and let the nation know .
The National Association of Nigerian Students has urged the Federal Government and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to resume academic activities at the nation ’ s public universities .
The students ’ body also ordered its chapters in all tertiary institutions to set up COVID – 19 task force teams to enforce all guidelines outlined by the Presidential Task Force on COVID -19 and ensure safe reopening of schools .
NANS President , Sunday Asefon , stated this in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that ASUU, on December 24 , 2020 , conditionally suspended its nine-month- long strike after a lot of foot -dragging by the union and the Federal Government.
The Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 subsequently ordered schools to remain closed till January 18 , 2021 to contain the spike in COVID – 19 infections in the country . The National Universities Commission later asked universities to comply with the directive but the PTF on Monday said the January 18 date is subject to review .
University workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and Non -Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions on Tuesday protested what they described as the injustice of the Federal Government .
Among their grievances are the irregularities in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System and distribution of the earned allowances .
During the protest held at the entrance gate of the University of Abuja , the SSANU and NASU demanded that the government should pay them their minimum wage as promised and in conformity with what has been paid to other ministries since 2019 .
One of the leaders of the protesters ’ Branch Treasurer of NASU in UNIABUJA , Sadiat Hassan , said they would embark on strike if the government did not act accordingly .
She said, “ We are protesting against the irregularities in IPPIS payment and demanding the renegotiation of our 2009 agreement which has been long overdue .
Vice – Chancellors of some federal and state universities in Nigeria have expressed readiness to reopen schools .
Though the Academic Staff Union of Universities had said that varsities were not ready for reopening, the VCs said they had planned to reopen their institutions as directed by the Federal Government .
One of the VCs of a federal university in the South -West told our correspondent that it was wrong for ASUU to claim that there were no guidelines for reopening varsities .
Apart from the scare arising from the second wave of COVID – 19 , another VC said some of them ( VCs ) had planned to stagger resumption .
“ I think ASUU should begin to speak to facts . Inasmuch as we do not want the COVID – 19 outbreak on our campuses , we had our plans. Some academic activities can resume for classes with a few populations ,” one of the VCs told our correspondent on the telephone .
“ LASU recently held examinations for students in compliance with COVID -19 guidelines , and it went well . What do they mean by saying there is no guideline for reopening?” another VC queried.
Seven years after blacklist, Kwara Government said it has received N7.2 billion grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
This is the first time since 2013 when the state was blacklisted from the national scheme.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has spent the last one year working to reposition basic education in the state, beginning with the payment of N450 million diverted funds which had brought the state under the hammer of the UBEC.
The N7.2 billion is a accumulation of UBEC grants that were not accessed between 2014 and 2019.
The money was not accessed because the former administration failed to pay its counterpart funds, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Hajia Fatimah B Ahmed has said in a statement.
The UBEC grants are meant for rehabilitation of dilapidated basic schools, construction of new ones, equipment of the schools with ICT tools, training of teachers, and project evaluation, among other purposes contained in the UBEC work plan.
The commissioner added: “This money would be spent in phases over the next two years to fix up to 600 elementary schools out of the over 1400 decrepit basic education facilities across the state. “The projects would be monitored by UBEC to ensure compliance with the work plan submitted by the government.
“This development has taken Kwara State out of the bottom position in the ranking of states with highest figures of outstanding UBEC grants.
“The pitiful state of basic education infrastructure in the state is a reflection of the failure to access UBEC funds and the near-zero investments in the sector over the past few years.”
The Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba has urged members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), to leave the teaching profession and consider going into farming, stressing that more farmers are needed in the country.
Also, in preparation for the reopening of schools, Nwajuiba said some of the modalities that have been put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 will include afternoon classes in order to prevent overcrowding.
Nwajuiba who was a guest on ARISE NEWS Channel in Abuja yesterday, reiterated that all schools must enforce the COVID-19 protocols.
He said: “Some people may not believe what we are doing but we must continue to enforce that. You must continue to abide by the protocol. You must provide them. We don’t really care about how much inconvenience or how convenient you think it is for your child to wear facemask. Obey the rules first. If we find out you’re not following those rules, we will have to deal with somebody.”
On the protracted strike by the ASUU, the minister who recalled that the union did not embark on the strike on the basis of the pandemic, said the university lecturers might consider farming, insisting that more farmers are needed in the nation.
He said the federal government has shown commitment to their demands.
Acknowledging that the union has the right to express itself and make demands, the minister noted that up till July 2020, all academic staff had been paid salaries.
“ASUU is within its rights as a union of lecturers. We didn’t start a strike with ASUU on the basis of COVID-19. ASUU was already on strike way before COVID-19. Just before COVID-19 will shut down schools, they gave an indefinite strike. We are not in any contention with them.
“Government is actually not holding anyone to ransom. It says this is how I want to pay and it has to be through IPPIS. You can leave the employment. You can opt out of it and say ‘I no longer want to teach’. You can find other professions. What we need now are probably more farmers.
“You cannot keep forcing your employer and tell him, ‘I will like you to pay me my money through my pillow. Or, I will like you to pay it through this mailbox’. ASUU has a lot of complaints and dissipation around it. That is legitimate but doesn’t mean you should force yourself on the man who has the money.”
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