EDUCATIONSchool reopening: Imo govt announces date, gives new directives Published on October 1, 2020 By Don Silas



The Imo State Government has announced October 5 as the date for the resumption of schools in the state.

Recall that schools in Imo were closed back in March after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

This was contained in a press statement issued by Mr. Oguwike Nwachukwu, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, and made available to newsmen in Owerri on Thursday.

Nwachukwu said that the resumption was, however, subject to adherence to the recommendations of the committee enforcing COVID-19 safety guidelines headed by Prof. Placid Njoku, the Deputy Governor of Imo State.


He disclosed that the state executive council also gave approval for the Imo school system to be fully automated and digitalized to capture pupils and student’s enrollment, teachers, pupils and students personal data, payment of school fees, examination details and other relevant information concerning schools in the state.

The statement quoted Declan Emelumba, the Commissioner for Information, as saying that the reason for the automation was to make it easy for anyone to access information on schools as well as data of anyone who passed through such schools.


Emelumba stated that the Commissioner for Education would head the automation process.

He, however, expressed the regret of the government to the notice of a planned warning strike by doctors in Imo State.

Emelumba described the action as; “not only politically motivated but an intention to blackmail the government.”

He explained that the state government had been making “frantic efforts to sanitize the wrongs and rots in the payroll system in the healthcare services where past administrations, civil and public servants have been found to be accomplice.”


The Commissioner urged the public not to be deceived by the planned warning strike by the doctors.

He also appealed to the doctors in the state, especially their leaders, to reconsider their stand on the planned warning strike and think of amicable resolution through dialogue with the appropriate representatives of the state government.