COVID-19: Save private schools, teachers’ jobs, MSSN begs FG, states

THE Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has appealed to the federal and state governments to assist private schools with palliatives in order to save many teachers and other members of staff from losing their jobs.

According to the body, there may be massive job loss in private schools due to the effect of coronavirus.

The amir (president) of MSSN, Lagos Area Unit, Malam Miftahudeen Thanni, made this known at a press conference on Tuesday.

Thanni said: “We appeal to government at all levels to assist private schools with palliatives. This will help to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on the schools and their teachers.

“This has been done in other sectors and education should not be left out. We are scared that there may be massive job loss in many private schools with COVID-19 not likely to go away anytime soon.

“We also appeal to both teachers and school management to show common understanding and be compassionate.”

He also bemoaned the current state of facilities in public schools, noting that COVID-19 exposed poor funding of education in the country.

“No doubt, coronavirus has exposed the weakness and poor standards of our schools. Ideally, the facilities required to ensure compliance with COVID-19 guidelines are supposed to be the basic things that should be readily available in our schools like hand-washing basin and running water.

“COVID-19 has revealed the failure of successive governments to invest adequately in education. The government must take full responsibility for whatever happens to students. They must guard against molestation and harassment of the students,” Thanni added.

The amirah (female head) of the MSSN-Lagos, Basheerah Majekodunmi, warned school principals against hijab harassment.

“We will not entertain any case of hijab harassment or molestation of any kind. Principals and teachers should be aware that there is an Appeal Court ruling which guarantees the freedom to use the hijab in schools.

“We will not only sue defaulters but we will also ensure that we name and shame them publicly,” she added.

During the press conference held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre at the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Thanni, who recently took over as the president of MSSN-Lagos, introduced other executive members of the body.

The other MSSN-Lagos officers are Mukhtar Oyetunji (naibul amir), AbdulFatah Hamzah (secretary), Taofeek Ogundele (assistant secretary), AbdulAzeez Abdul Raheem (financial secretary), Qazeem Musa (business chairman), Kamaldeen Abiona (welfare), Qazeem Akinlotan (director of studies), Qazeem Yahya (assistant director of studies) and AbdulKabir Kuye (internal auditor).

Others are Azeezah Gidigbi (naibatul ameerah), Asmau Yahya (secretary), Sekinah Adeyinka (sisters’ PRO), Muhibah Adeoye (welfare) and Ma’rufah Adeshokan (treasurer).

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