The Federal Government on Monday said it was against the resumption of schools on January 18.

At the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the Federal Government did not agree with the states on the resumption date.

Adamu, who noted that the PTF would monitor the COVID-19 situation on a daily basis, said the school resumption could be reviewed again.

“We sat down, looked at the figures and we took the decision that schools should not open.

“Unfortunately, we have to state this because it is supposed to be a collective decision, but you must understand that the schools we’re talking about, the Federal Government has only about 100 out of thousands of schools.

“The schools are under the jurisdiction of states and just as the PTF was unanimous in saying that schools should not open, states were unanimous that schools should open.

“So, we have to compromise and as PTF we shall monitor what is happening on a daily basis. There could be some review again”, Adamu said.

It would be recalled that last Thursday, Igbere TV reports that the spokesman of the Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, had said in a statement that “after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders, including state governors, commissioners of education, proprietors and heads of institutions, staff unions and students, the consensus of opinion is that the resumption date of 18th January should remain.”

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, also said the school resumption would be reviewed due to rising daily numbers of infections and the challenges of case management, especially the shortage of oxygen.

Mustapha warned Nigerians to cooperate with the PTF to avoid a second lockdown in the country.

He said: “The pandemic is raging and all tiers of government and citizens must keep their hands-on-deck.

“We’re in a difficult situation in which a balance must continue to be struck between lives and livelihood.

“We’re considering all options while hoping that broad cooperation will be received.

“We must do everything possible to avoid a second lockdown in Nigeria.”

He said the PTF was proceeding with the next phase of the approved presidential sanction against all in-bound international travelers that failed to undergo the day-7 post arrival test.

He said the PTF would ensure that the vaccines to be approved would be safe and effective.

“We must however work together as foot soldiers in the vaccine advocacy so that we can eliminate the pandemic.

“The PTF wishes to emphasize that the success of our national response shall not depend on vaccines alone.

“Rather, compliance with the non-pharmaceutical protocols must remain top on our individual priorities.”

He said the PTF had authorized the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to immediately implement the 450 tests per local government area plan nationwide.

https://dailytrust.com/covid-19-we-opposed-jan-18-school-resumption-fg

Lalasticlala

Why always the schools? Is it only in schools that the virus is spread? Because of the prolonged school closure, my kids' interest in learning has waned, they now enjoy playing around so much . Even the programmes on TV, where is the light to power the set to follow up? Please our children's education is really important to us. When is the virus going away?

If shutting down schools and embarking on a lockdown will help reduce the spread of Covid.

They should do it please.

This government is against any form of education.

but you people allowed much gathering at NIMC office.

Even if the govt want the database of all her citizen,must it be at this critical point that this pandemic is ravaging the world

HYPOCRITES!!!

E don happen. No school till next year. Everybody should learn a skill. Schooling and education are totally different things.

Op you cunningly added IgbereTv in the write up. You guys and Facebook news are like 5 and 6. I'll tell James Umeh to sack all of you because that's poor journalism

Guess it was the same FG that earlier fixed 18th Jan.for the resumption of schools? What were they thinking? Why are the airports still open even to international flight.
E no go better for una if schools are locked down while political rallies or other violations of COVID19 protocol occurs anywhere across the nation.

These guys are bunch of confused elements.. Is Covid spread only in Schools?