No Date Yet For Schools Resumption

Richard Ginika Izuora

The Federal Government has said that firm decision on resumption of learning activities in schools across the nation has not been taken.

This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

The Minister stated that no date has been fixed yet for full schools’ resumption. However, he disclosed that the Federal Government had continued to engage stakeholders on the matter.

Nwajiuba stated this during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the date for resumption was around the corner; adding, that ‘‘we are not going to be brandishing dates.” He disclosed that himself and the Minister of Education; Adamu Adamu, met some stakeholders in tertiary education earlier in the day on the issue.

Nwajiuba said about 78 privately-owned universities were insisting that they were ready for resumption.

On the other hand, he stated that the response from government-owned universities was still “50-50.”

Furthermore, he said that after aggregating opinions; he would return to the PTF to review the situation and then go ahead to make a pronouncement.

The minister urged students of tertiary institutions; who were protesting the continued closure of their schools to be a little more patient with the government.