Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State like other states complied with the Federal Government directive on March 29 that schools be closed because of the Coronavirus pandemic as students in public and private schools were sent home.
Four months down the line, there has been the compiling needs for schools to reopen to enable students in terminal classes take various public examinations. The federal and some state governments have already announced dates for resumption of schools.
In Abia State, Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu convoked a summit on July 30 in Umuahia for education stakeholders and leaders of other groups in the state to brainstorm and come out with modalities to be put in place for the benefit of the returning students and their teachers.
Participants include top government officials such as the Secretary to the State Government and the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chairman, Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Education, commissioners. Others were the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Vice Chancellor, Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, Rectors and Provost of polytechnics and colleges in the state, Registrar, Examination Development Commission, acting Chairman, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) and the acting Executive Secretary, Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB).
Also on the list were state Chairmen of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) and Association of Primary School Heads of Nigeria (OPSHON), three representatives of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Abia chapter, drawn from the three senatorial zones of the state and three representatives of National Association of Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) drawn from the three senatorial zones of the state.
In his remarks, Governor Ikpeazu, insisted that while the state was desirous of ensuring her students resume classes as quickly as possible, his administration would not sacrifice the health of the children for anything. “We must find a balance between ensuring that they (children) continue to enjoy good health and protection from this virus and continuing their education.’’
‘’I therefore urge all of us to take responsibility for our protection from this virus as well as the protection of our children and loved ones. Our lives cannot stop because of this virus but we can take necessary measures to protect ourselves and loved ones from the pandemic”, he said.
Ikpeazu announced that government would feed returning primary six pupils. He gave religious leaders in the state the task to take up the fight against COVID-19, using their pulpits as point of contacts to reach the people on the pandemic prevention and guidelines protocols as well as encourage them to participate in the ongoing community testing across the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr Kanaelechi Nwangwa, who gave details of what was expected, said the summit was convened to fashion out modalities for the reopening of schools for pupils and students in the exit classes.
Nwangwa gave a breakdown of the number of pupils and students in exit classes expected to return to school. He said for the primary, out of 291, 201 pupils, 1, 825 or 14.63 percent are in primary six, for the junior secondary school, there are 86, 404 out of which 27, 689 or 32.05 percent are in JSS3, while in senior secondary where there are 30, 968, 10, 089 or 32.58 percent are in SS3.
On his part, the commissioner for health, Dr Joe Osuji, said health officials would go round schools to check sick bays and give out sanitizers just as teachers will be tested for COVID-19 before reopening of schools.
After about three hours of brainstorming, the summit fixed August 10, as date for reopening of schools in the state to enable students in exit classes prepare and write their public examinations.
The pre-conditions made known by the SSG, Chris Ezem include clearing of school premises, decontamination/fumigation, provision of sick bays with relevant medical staff, digital thermometers, and compulsory provision of hand washing stations as well as maintenance of social distance with maximum of 20 students in each classroom.
The summit agreed that the measures should apply to both public and private schools and also banned the gatherings of students, ban on food vendors in the schools. Head teachers were also directed to ensure that the students spend a minimum of 10 minutes daily to learn about COVID-19 and its associated prevention and control measures while charging parents to ensure that their children have and wear face masks to school.