The Federal Government, teachers and some parents
across the country have sharply disagreed over the
new September 22 resumption date for primary and
secondary schools announced by the Federal
Government last week
While the Federal Government says that all necessary
measures have been put in place to check any possible
outbreak of Ebola, given that there is no known cases
of the virus in any part of the country, both the
teachers and parents are jittery and are asking for
caution, as the scare remains palpable in most cities
and communities.
In fact, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has
threatened to proceed on an indefinite nationwide
strike, if the government insists on the September 22,
resumption date, while some parents have said that
their children will not be allowed to resume until the
government can guarantee that there is no known
cases in the country again.
But the Federal Government, again, yesterday, said that
the September 22 resumption date for primary and
secondary schools in the country would not be
extended because there are no strong reasons for such
an extension.
Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who
stated this while briefing State House correspondents
after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting,
insisted that those who have reasons to believe that the
schools should not re-open on that date should forward
same to the Federal Government.
The Nigerian Medical Association, the NUT as well as
other professional bodies have called for the extension
of the resumption date for primary and secondary
schools until the country is free of the Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD).
But speaking after the FEC meeting, Chukwu said those
calling for the extension of the schools resumption date
were being driven by “irrational fears”.
He said unlike other countries where the disease is
transmitted through community contact, Nigeria’s case
was different and there was no cause for worry.
He said: “The minister of education, after meeting with
the commissioners for education from the 36 states and
FCT decided when public schools should open, which is
22nd of September. In taking that decision, they
considered the information that was given by the
Federal Ministry of Health that there is actually no
reason now, with the expert information we have at
hand, why schools cannot resume earlier than the
original date of October 13. I think people should just
allow us to do the work we have been doing very
professionally.
“It was based on advice given by the Ministry of Health
that the minister of education took the original decision
that it was going to be in October and nobody
quarreled with the minister. Now, the minister, based
on expert advice, has come back to say the resumption
date will now be September 22 and some people are
now quarrelling with it. I think we should allow the
authorities to do their job. It is not an ordinary matter
to be discussed the way we want to discuss it.
“If you have any evidence why there is need to review
it (the resumption date of schools), supply such
evidence to the minister of health and we will look at
it.
He added that at the moment, there are still 490 people
under surveillance in Port Harcourt while those under
surveillance in Lagos have reduced to only 16.
Government’s decision was, however, met with
displeasure, especially as private school proprietors,
teachers, parents and stakeholders differ on whether or
not schools will be free from EVD by then. However,
President, NUT, Mr. Michael Alogba, says that the
decision “is not a good idea at all and students should
not resume until there is no single case of Ebola in the
country.”
“The Federal Government has done really well in
combating the scourge but I would have expected them
to stick to the October 13 resumption date because we
are still at a point where we are worried about the
outbreak in Rivers State and the spread to other states.
The NUT has threatened to go on strike if the Federal
Government fails to put in place measures to protect its
members and pupils from contracting the deadly Ebola
Virus Disease before the resumption of schools.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives directed its
Committee on Education to take another look at the
September 22 resumption date in view of the fact that
the EVD had yet to be contained in the country.
Before Alogba spoke, the committee Chairman, Aminu
Usman, said that the committee would meet with the
leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association and the
Federal Ministry of Education over the September 22
date.
Alogba said the NUT had already written the Federal
Government about its position on the September 22
date.
He warned that if the new date was not extended by
Monday, the NUT national executive council would
meet on Tuesday in Abuja to take a drastic action.
The NUT chairman said, “In any sane society, decision
such as this will not be taken until the government and
all stakeholders have met and discussed the issue at
stake and are sure that the nation is scientifically and
medical free from the scourge.
“But this is not the case in our country. When they
arrived at the early October 13 date, they wrote us and
we agreed with their argument but when this new date
was given, they did not because of the influence of
some powerful school owners who put pressure on
them (Federal Government) to announce the September
22 date.
“You are aware of what is happening at the Obafemi
Awolowo University. How are we sure that there is no
primary or secondary school pupil that has had
contact with an Ebola patient.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had
called on stakeholders in the education sector to put
measures in place to create an Ebola-free school
environment for children. Each state ministry of
education is expected to train, at least two officials
from every school on how to handle any suspected case
of Ebola as well as embark on immediate sensitisation
of all teaching and non-teaching staff on preventive
measures.
The Education Minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau,
who made this known, said “All primary and secondary
schools, both public and private, should be provided
with a minimum of two blood pressure measuring
equipment by the states’ ministries of education. These
ministries should determine the number of such
equipment required and forward same to the Federal
Ministry of Education. The Federal Ministry of
Education will liaise with the Federal Ministry of
Health to ensure that appropriate equipment is
procured.
“Regular washing of hands is part of the preventive
measures and there must be steady supply of water in
schools. All states should ensure that this is put in
place as the schools reopen.”
But despite this preventive measures, educationists and
parents are still skeptical about allowing students to
resume as more still need to be done to ensure the
safety of the children.
Also, the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of
Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) has expressed
reservations on the September 22 resumption date
announced by the Federal Government.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent
yesterday, the National Secretary, Mr. Kevin Nwankwo
said there has yet to be evidence of any preventive
measure taken by the states to curb the spread of the
Ebola Virus Disease. He therefore urged government to
rescind its decision on the announced date.
“Until yesterday, there was nothing to show that
teachers are being trained. I am not aware of sanitisers
or training in any school yet.

http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2014/09/12/ebola-nut-others-oppose-sept-22-resumption-date/

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