Desmond Mgboh, Kano and Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Kaduna and Kano government have directed secondary schools to open from August 10 to enable SSS 3 students write their Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE),West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and other certificate examinations.
Kaduna Commissioner for Education, Dr. Shehu Makarfi, in a statement, yesterday, said the directive was in compliance with the Federal Ministry of Education resolution for schools to open on August 4.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i has approved Monday, August10 as the resumption date for the SSS 3 students that are expected to begin their WAEC examination slated for August 17.
“Therefore, the Ministry of Education is directing all school principals to arrange to receive SSS 3 boarding students on August 9 and day students on August 10.
“All administrators of public and private schools are to note that the one-week period commencing from today is to allow for necessary preparations and arrangements to meet COVID-19 guidelines for the opening of schools.
“Principals are to ensure compliance to agreed guidelines, which include reduced hours of work/revision to four hours per shift, social distancing in classes, laboratories, libraries and hostels,’’ he said.
He added that there should also be consistency in temperature monitoring and handing over of any suspected case of COVID-19 to health authorities.
He warned that no school should open before August 10, except for boarding schools, where students are expected to arrive on August 9.
The commissioner further directed private secondary schools in the state to report their readiness to open to the schools’ Quality Assurance Authority.
He said that private schools should report, using the appropriate checklist and obtain a written ‘no objection to open’, on clean bill of health.
In Kano, Commissioner of Education, Muhammad Sanusi Kiru, said boarding students would resume on August 9, while others would resume the following day.
Kiru, therefore, directed all principals of secondary schools in the state to put in place COVID-19 safety and preventive measures for the returning students.
The state government had shut down all schools in March and asked students to return home following the outbreak of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Outgoing Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello has been appointed the Pro-chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council,Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano State.
Commissioner for Information, Kano State, Muhammad Garba said that Bello’s appointment by Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was with immediate effect.
“Bello, a professor of Mathematics, earned his doctorate degree in 1988 from the University of Arkansas. His name was included in the Graduating School Dean’s List for obtaining ‘A’ in all courses during his PhD programme at the University of Arkansas,” said Garba.”