By Bashir Bello – Kano
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has on Friday dumped the option of closing down schools as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ganduje said the closure of schools amid COVID-19 prevalence, in the second wave phase, could cause another tragedy of taking the society back again, while the devastating virus keeps following students and/or pupils to their homes.
The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, made the observation while holding a stakeholder meeting with members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) with some selected Head Teachers, in the series of Stakeholders Sensitisation Meetings on Second Wave of COVID-19 In Kano, held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Friday.
According to the Governor, though there is a dire need to fight the pandemic using all available avenues, called on all, to clearly understand the repercussions of certain actions in the process.
“The issue is not that of closing schools. When you close schools, it is another tragedy also. Because if you close schools with the intent that you take students away from COVID-19, the same pandemic is capable of following them into their respective homes. So what are we saying? he asked rhetorically.
“The closure of schools would take students and the system of education back again. It is because of this, that we exempted teachers from staying at home. Unlike other civil servants, whom we ordered must not come to work, but stay at home,” he explained.
He warned that COVID-19 protocols must be complied with, saying “We must comply with all the protocols as provided by our able health workers. This is absolutely necessary.”
After assuring them of the government’s commitment to the free and compulsory primary and secondary education policy, governor Ganduje urged parents to help teachers and the government in making sure that their children always comply with the protocols of COVID-19.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/01/covid-19-ganduje-dumps-option-of-closing-schools/

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