COVID-19: Full Re-Opening Of Schools To Be Done in Phases - PTF

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu has asked school administrators to begin preparation for the full re-opening of schools across the country.

Speaking on Thursday at the PTF briefing, Aliyu who directed the school administrators to conduct a risk assessment, said that the reopening of schools would be done in phases.

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“For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase,” he said.

“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct a risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create, and monitor this level of preparedness.

"Meanwhile, daycare centres should remain closed until this level of risk is assessed. If there will be the opening of schools, it must be in stages and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home,” He said.

It will be recalled that the outbreak and widespread of the coronavirus had forced the federal government to order a nationwide closure of schools in March.

However, in July, the government approved the reopening of schools for exit classes, including students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).