By Martin Cole-
Academic Unions in most Nigerian States are divided over whether to reopen schools, after some educational bodies have opposed those plans for schools to re-open.
Information received from those close to the Ministry Of Education in Nigeria is that many union members and academics are concerned about the state of many schools in Nigeria, and do not believe they are safe to open up.
Many of Nigerian primary and secondary school private fee paying schools, are among the best in the world, with many of its students bright and disciplined , in a country where the future is practically lost without a University education degree. Public schools are far less catered for with necessary equipments or the provision of sanitary products or even basic supplies like clean running water.
Regional differences exist in Nigerian schools in relation to quality, curriculum, funding, and background. Most regions have a broad and challenging curriculum, some more than others. The issue has always been the circumstances and environment in which different pupils in Nigeria get an education. There are concerns about a Covid-19 safe environment, including healthy conditions so that students are less prone to catching the coronavirus.
Measures
Concerned academics believe the Nigerian government need to put appropriate measures in place before opening schools across the nation.West Africa’s most populous country closed schools in March, joining most other parts of the world in taking measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Nigeria’s officxia death rate from Covoid-19 is not alarming, and one of the lowest in the world at 1,070, with 55, 632 infection cases.
Some analysts in Nigeria have pointed out to The Eye Of Media.Com that the amorphous nature of Nigeria make sis logical to assume that many people could die at home without diagnosis, and therefore not be included in the official lists. With a population of 300 million spread through 26 states tracking down accurate death rates is difficult.
The Nigerian Union of Secondary Schools; the National Association of the Parent/ Teacher Association of Nigeria, have all disagreed with scheduled plans by state governments to reopen schools.
They have warned that poor infrastructure like the shortage or non-provision of toilets and hand washing facilities in schools will definitely put students at serious risk of getting infected with COVID-19. According to the education bodies, government across the states should put the right measures in place to minimise the risk of exposing the students to the virus before re-opening the schools.
Those who want schools shut say it would be better for schools to remain closed for the rest of the year to minimise the risk than to reopen them. Among them are The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Coordinator of lbadan zone, Prof Ade Adejumo, are all against the idea of re-opening schools.
Risk
He said: “that throwing schools open in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic is an open invitation to tragic explosion of the scourge. “Has government met the NCDC criteria on COVID-19 protocol in our institutions? How many of our public institutions can confidently vouch for the safety of our children given the available facilities such as running water for hand washing, social distancing, use of face masks, which are key components of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols?”
Pecuniary Gains
According to him, most of those calling for the re-opening of schools especially, proprietors of private universities are doing so because they are doing so for pecuniary gains. ” Lives of students should not be endangered for pecuniary gains.” Adejumo said that members of the union would not resume work even if the government re-opens universities, insisting that it has the responsibility to call government attention to its duties to the nation and its citizens.
NANS South West Zone, on the other hand, supports schools re-opening. The Deputy Coordinator of NANS South West Zone, Utman Oladimeji said reasons given by some states in the zone for not wanting to join other states to reopen schools were not tenable. Oladimeji said ” the continued closure of schools puts the academic life and by extension the future of Nigerian students at peril.
”It is vital for state governments to begin to develop practicable mechanism, guidelines and policies that will make school re-opening possible, he told The Eye Of Media.Com.”
Many families in Nigeria struggled to adapt to life during the lockdown , having to deal with a full house without being able to fulfil the daily necessity of making ends meet. Nigeria is made up of a population at two wide extremes of the economic spectrum.
A small percentage are very rich, some are comfortable, and potentially up to 50 % live from hand to mouth, as they cope with unstable levels of employment. Many of those in jobs many times have to wait months to be paid due to very complex systems.
Four States Announce Resumption Dates
Four states, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Ogun State have announced resumption dates. Lagos State was the first to announce September 14 as resumption date for tertiary schools in the state and September 21 for primary and secondary schools while Osun State announced September 21 as the tentative resumption date. Ondo followed suit by announcing November 2 as a tentative date for resumption for both state owned and private higher institutions.
Ogun State has also announced September 21 date for the reopening of schools for the first term of 2020/2021 session, and the second phase of the re-opening of schools is extended to all classes in primary and secondary schools, Technical and Vocational Colleges, and Tertiary Institutions. Former Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Soji Adejumo, said he supports the re-opening of schools in Nigeria.
There is no harm in re-opening schools provided all precautionary measures are taken.
“ Leaving schools closed will not prevent a potential increase in the pandemic. Without reopening schools, the pandemic can still increase. It would be counterproductive if schools are closed because of the pandemic. “Schools can re-open provided all COVID-19 regulations are adhered to. The pandemic seems to be imported from abroad. So, it can still spread if the schools are not reopened.
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