Reps committee expresses concerns over FG’s decision to reopen schools

The Professor Julius Ihonvbere-led Committee on Basic Education and Services in the House of Representatives has expressed concerns over the Federal Government’s decision to reopen schools on January 18, 2021.

The Committee, in a statement issued on Saturday, said there were no compelling  reasons and positive analyses to support the decision to reopen schools now that the nation is witnessing over 1,000 positive cases of COVID-19 daily.

The Committee ondered how schools could be closed when the nation’s infection rates were around 500, and now reopened when the figures have almost trippled.

Read the committee: “Why are we rushing to reopen schools without adequate verifiable and sustainable arrangements to protect and secure our children?

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“We acknowledge the argument that most young persons have not been as affected by COVID-19 and many are asymptomatic.

“Yet, it does not mean they have full immunity against the virus.

:We also know that they would be working and interacting with adult teachers, administrative workers and other persons that do not live within the institutions.”

The Committee observed that apart from Lagos, and a couple of states,  governments have been unable to enforce COVID-19 protocols and/or safety guidelines.

According to the committee: “People no longer wear facemasks or use sanitisers. Public enlightenment campaigns have more or less stopped.

“Merely saying they would adhere to the protocols is no guarantee. In rural areas, the situation is worse.”

It continued: “The lives of our children are worth much more than the interests and comfort of any politician or bureaucrat.

“It is only after a minimum 75% nationwide compliance that we can seriously talk about reopening schools.

“Given that in primary and secondary schools in particular, there are no facilities for effective social distancing in the classrooms, part of the compliance requirements must be the introduction of morning and afternoon batches into the schools when they reopen to reduce overcrowding.

“Special cleaning crews with sufficient sanitisers must be deployed to the classrooms before and after each stream.

“Hand washing before entering the classroom and use of sanitiser once seated must be made mandatory.”

The Committee also called on the Federal Government to suspend the school feeding programme and replace it with sealable snacks that should be distributed when classes are over.

1. The Committee said it believed that if these and other critical steps were not taken, there should be a postponement by three months to enable the Local and State governments put adequate measures in place.