Schools Will Not Reopen on June 8 – Minister of State for Education Disclosed

During the Task Force briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, said that the Federal Government is considering sectionalising classes for primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions in the country ahead of the reopening of schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. He also debunked reports that schools are set to reopen on June 8.

The minister said:

The material that the Chairman of the PTF spoke about, which is an announcement purportedly from him that we are reopening all schools on the 8th did not emanate from us. That is not true.

Until we are sure that these children can go to school, return safely and not bring home with them, this COVID material, and infect people who are more susceptible to the disease than they are, then we are running a huge risk and god forbid that in our hurry, something happens to our children, I’m not sure how anybody will be able to retrieve what would have been lost.

So we are not taking that risk yet. We are going to prepare as much as possible, within the guidance that they (health authorities) offer us, working in conjunction with the World Health Organisation before we reopen schools.