PARENTS and school children anxious for reopening schools will have to wait a little more as the Federal Government on Monday insisted that the schools remain shut for now.
Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, speaking on Monday at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 news briefing described as fake news timetables purported released from the Ministry of Education on the conduct of West African Examination Council examinations being circulated on the social media.
He maintained that only the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 could approve the reopening of schools following expert advice on the safety of schools for the children, adding that government was not prepared to experiment with the lives of Nigerian children.
He said the Federal Ministry of Education does not have the prerogative to unilaterally direct reopening of school with the spike in confirmed cases of coronavirus across the country.
The minister further disclosed until the ban on interstate movement is lifted, it would be incongruous to reopen schools when teachers and students could not move freely to their schools.
Nwajiuba said: “The long answer is that the ministry would not want to lead Nigerians into danger, so we are working with experts and that is the essence of us being in this committee in the first place.
“We want to be only able to reopen when it is safe to do so. You heard about neighbouring countries that opened and shut; you heard about cases spiking with children getting into school.
“Of all the things, I would like to do, I would not like to experiment with your children. The truth is that we want a situation where once we are sure it is safe, we can then take them into schools,” he said.
The minister disclosed that he had a meeting on Monday with representatives of West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) to brainstorm on how to conduct their pending examinations.
He said: “I just finished a meeting this morning with the representatives of WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB. I understand the worries of our parents at the moment and how anxious our children are to know what next.
“What we are planning is to actually bring those exit years in first. As soon as those who are in charge of the blockade lift it; because there is no way we can open our schools if teachers can’t come.
“We are looking at somewhere after this interstate lockdown is lifted because we need to have that kind of openness for children to move.
“We looked at letters from WAEC Ghana, WAEC. The Gambia reopened schools today (Monday), and all of these people are participants in WAEC platform. The five countries of WAEC have almost about 76 subjects. Nigerians are taking about 17 of them, so we need to know the timetable that will take about six weeks to conclude WAEC exams.
“It requires another six weeks to conclude NECO and another six weeks to conclude NABTEB examinations.
“Right now, we are all working on timetables, how to bring the timetables closer. What is permissible, what can we do, can we use Saturdays, can we use Sundays, what dates are available to us as soon as we can to bring them to some sort of closer.”
He added that the government was also planning when to conduct the National Common Entrance Examination to get those in primary schools to move into secondary schools.
The minister said government is also working on all available options, saying it would not be possible for anybody to just release date for reopening of schools carelessly.
Nwajiuba clarified that any date to be announced by the Ministry of Education must pass through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 first, stressing that it would not just be that the Ministry of Education “unilaterally commanded everybody to go back to school.
“We are running a government. It is not our prerogative to simply tell you what to do. We will bring you to government and government will do an appreciation on it.
“Last week, we were in the National Assembly and presented the same facts to the House Committee on Basic Education, and went each of the issues with them-questions from parents, questions from everybody who is a participant in education,” he said.
He stressed that it would require experts telling the government that children could not resume schools in safety, appealing to parents to continue to keep the children safe at home in the meantime.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING
IPOB Spends $85,000 Monthly To Fight Nigeria Abroad – Presidency
The Presidency has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of using what it says is false allegations of persecution of Christians against the Nigerian State to drive a wedge between the country and the United States, United Kingdom and European allies… Read full story
Abia Comes First With 67 New Cases As Nigeria Records 260 More COVID-19 Victims
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on Sunday, announced that the country has recorded 260 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections in Nigeria to 12,486… Read full story
MONDAY LINES: Kneeling For George Floyd
YOU’ve heard of little sparks igniting big flames. It has taken just twenty American dollars to stop the whole world from breathing and for police forces across the world to be on trial. A $20 bill was used to buy cigarettes in a shop; shop owners suspected the bill to be fake; the police were called in; they came and knelt on a… Read full story
You Don’t Own Nigeria, Northern CAN Tells Miyetti Allah
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in 19 Northern States and FCT on Sunday has cautioned the factional leader of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) that the Fulani don’t own Nigeria. The Fulani leader had boasted that Nigeria belongs to Fulani and they would continue to rule for eternity… Read full story
Growing Hunger Amidst COVID-19-Induced Inflation, Fallen Income In Nigeria
James Oghene, a middle-aged man with two kids is a chef in one of the popular fast foods based in Surulere Lagos. Every day, Mr Oghene spends an average of N1,000 from his Ejigbo residence to and from work, but since February, he has not received a salary. Neighbours are already gossiping about his wife’s weight loss due to… Read full story
2020 UTME: JAMB Holds Policy Meeting On Cut-Off Point June 16 • Says candidates can now print their result notification
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has scheduled to hold the 2020 policy meeting on June 16, 2020, to determine cut-off points for admissions into all tertiary institutions in the country. Tribune Online reports that the Policy Meeting is to be chaired by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu with… Read full story
The Making Of Great Companies
No company ever starts out with the intention of failing. Every company hopes to become so great and successful that not only will it yield heart-warming returns to its owners, but will also become a standard for others. But neither greatness nor success responds to wishes; they are a result of doing what is right consistently… Read full story
7 Important Tips For New Leaders
As we navigate returning to our workplaces after the pandemic, a potential demographic shift seems to be on the horizon. Some more senior leaders may not return to the office because they are part of a high-risk group. Some of my clients, for example, have decided to retire early and pursue other options. In their place… Read full story
Success Of Nigerian Troops, Product Of Buhari’s Knowledge Of War ― Tsav
Recent series of successes recorded by the Nigerian Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism and insurgency have been made possible by President Muhammadu Buhari’s deep knowledge and experience in asymmetric warfare, former Lagos State commissioner of police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has said… Read full story
Lagos Govt Tasks Supreme Court On Legality Of Virtual Court Hearings
The Lagos State Government has tasked the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of virtual court hearings. Tribune Online reports that Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the National Assembly are the respondents in the suit… Read full story
Appeal Court President: Buhari Not A Rubber Stamp, Says Presidency
The presidency has dismissed pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to confirm Justice Monica S. Dongban-Mensem as President of the Court of Appeal, saying that the president cannot be a rubber stamp in making judicial and other appointments… Read full story
There Are Moles In My Government, Umahi Says
Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has openly acknowledged the existence of moles in his government but insisted that his administration had nothing to hide. Tribune Online reports that Umahi’s position is contained in a social media comment posted on Sunday… Read full story
Kaduna Disowns Document In Circulation, Says Lockdown Remains
The Kaduna State Government has disowned a document that has been making the rounds, stating that the Quarantine Law has been reviewed and that a 12-hour lockdown is now in place. The fake document claimed that the lockdown is now from 6pm to 6am, and that interstate travel remains banned… Read full story
The Killing Of George Floyd
THE death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, in the hands of a team of four white police officers has yet again left dark clouds around the issues of racial equality and justice on the one hand, and concerns about racially charged police brutality and justice in the United States… Read full story
and then