As Ebola war reaches out to schools

Federal Government on Tuesday suspended the resumption of both public and private primary and secondary schools in the country till October 13, 2014, as part of the ongoing putsch to stem the ravaging Ebola virus. AUGUSTINE OKEZIE takes a critical look at the mitigation measures taken to curb the spread  

Announcing the suspension of the resumption of schools throughout the federation from September to October, Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau said the decision was based on the risk posed by the dreaded Ebola virus disease to the education sector.
The Minister said the change in the resumption date would ensure that adequate preventive measures were put in place before the students report back to school.
According to the Minister, “All Primary and Secondary schools, both Public and Private are to remain closed until Monday 13th October, 2014 which is the new school resumption date for all schools throughout the Federation. This is to ensure that adequate preventive measures are put in place before the students report back to school.

“All State Ministries of Education are to immediately organize and ensure that at least two (2) staff in each school, both Public and Private, are trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitization of all Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff in all schools on preventive measures. This training of staff must be concluded not later than 15th September, 2014”.
The minister further directed states Ministries of Education, to establish a Working and Monitoring Team for effective supervision of school activities before and after opening of schools.  Each State Ministry of Education, he said should appoint a designated Desk Officer not later than 1st September, 2014, who should also receive appropriate training and who must report on daily basis to the Honourable Commissioner on situation in the schools. The names of such Desk Officers, their phone numbers and e-mail addresses should be communicated to the Headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education not later than 1st September, 2014.
“ All Primary and Secondary schools, both Public and Private should be provided with a minimum of two (2) Blood Pressure Measuring Equipment by the State Ministries of Education. The State Ministries should determine the number of such equipment required and forward same to the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that appropriate equipment are procured”.
He stressed that all the above measures also apply in all Federal Government Colleges.
All ongoing summer schools in both public and private schools were equally suspended with immediate effect, “All Summer Classes currently being conducted by some private schools should be suspended with immediate effect until 13th October, 2014.
“Private Primary and Secondary Schools were expected to comply with the directives given under these preventive measures while state governments were advised to support their state’s Ministries of Education with all necessary funds to ensure effective implementation of these preventive measures”.
The Federal Government also directed all states government to sanction any private or public school that doesn’t comply with the directives.
He reiterated the commitment of the Federal government in ensuring the safety of all the children in both public and private schools in the country.
“. Our concern is for the children and we would go to any length to ensure both private and public schools comply. You can imagine if a child is infected in a boarding school of say about 600 children, it would be very dangerous. We are not saying there is Ebola in all states of the federation but we are putting some preventive measures in place”, the Minister said.
Tertiary institutions were not totally exempted from the federal government’s directive as they were advised to suspend exchange of staff and students programs, visits and major International seminars and workshops until further notice. They were to also monitor the movement of foreign students in their campuses and liaise with appropriate government health Institutions to organize and ensure effective sensitization program for all their teaching and non-teaching staff
While several stakeholders welcome government’s proactive measures aimed at checkmating the Ebola virus they are however disagreeing with the decision to postpone academic activities in the schools nationwide since the disease outbreak had not yet reached an epidermis level
Reacting to government’s decision to postpone the resumption of schools to October, the Lagos state branch of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), insisted that the best the government could have done in the circumstance should have been to allow the academic activities to resume in September while at the same time carrying out preventive measures
Nigeria’s education sector has no doubt in recent times suffered serious distortions of its academic calendar caused by incessant strike by teachers and the restive activities of students who often indulge in one violent demonstration or another.
The decision by government to prolong academic activities in schools so as to contain the rampaging Ebola virus may not go down well with most parents, especially the working class group who does not have time to attend to their children at home and are rather relieved to see their wards actively occupied by academic activities at the school