BREAKING: FG okays full reopening of schools

The Federal Government says state governments and school administrators should start making preparations for the full reopening of schools in the country .

Recall that schools in the country had been shut in March as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease .

However, the FG announced the resumption of graduating pupils effective August 4 , 2020 , to write this year ’ s West African Senior School Certificate Examination from August 17 , 2020 , through September 12 , 2020 .

Some state governments like Lagos and Kogi had subsequently announced the full reopening of schools to commence mid – September.

But speaking on Thursday , the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID – 19 , Dr Sani Aliyu, during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , said the task force recommends phased return of students to classrooms .

Aliyu said , “ 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 .“ However, we strongly recommend that states conduct 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, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in- classes until this level of risk is assessed . And if there will be opening of schools , it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home . ”