There is a mounting pressure on the Federal Government to allow for safe reopening of schools across the country.
This is as students of Nigerian universities on Wednesday 19 August protested the continued closure of schools by the federal government.
The protest which held at the Ministry of Education and Unity Fountain in Abuja, witnessed a good number of students express their displeasure over the persistent closure of schools.
Recall that the federal government had shut down all sectors including schools as part of measures to curtail the pandemic early on.
Since then, domestic flights have resumed, with international flights set to resume by 29 August.
Markets and places of worship have equally witnessed safe reopening. Not forgetting to mention the lifting of interstate-travel ban, among others.
According to the protesting students, government should allow schools reopening since places of worship and business places are open.
Statement during the students protest in Abuja
The protesting students under the aegis of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), called on the federal government to reopen schools as a matter of urgency.
In a statement by NAUS president, Ejigah Felix on behalf of the students, schools cannot remain closed indefinitely.
Schools cannot remain closed while political rallies and elections are being held.
Schools cannot remain closed while other sectors of the economy are fully operational.
The association president urged the government to put safety measures in place to allow schools resume.
Particularly, those measures that allowed worship centers, and flights to resume, because schools can no longer continue to be under lock and key.
In a statement by the NAUS president, Felix obtained from the recorded video during the protest, “How do you close our universities, polytechnics, and other academic institutions and you’re telling people that you want to stop the virus?
“Our demands are that our schools should be reopened.
You might want to check out:
- Positive and negative effects of the internet | must read
- How to optimize your finances in school (must read)
“ASUU strikes have been lingering in this country for so long. And each time the federal government has an issue with ASUU, it is the students that suffer.
“Our students doing four years courses now spend more years in school.
“We want the government to address this and stop putting our future at risk. Students are about wasting one year at home and this is not good for Nigerian students.” he added.
It is important to mention that the Minister of Education in a statement in July said he’d prefer for schools to loose one academic year than endanger the lives of Nigerian students.
How this impact 2020 admission exercise
Recall that JAMB had given tertiary institutions go ahead to conduct Post UTME screening from 7th September, 2020. Although, it is yet to be seen the measures that would be put in place for Post UTME to hold.
Followed by a FAKE trending video of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu declaring schools to open from 7th September, 2020.
These two events has since thrown a good number of Nigerian students into confusion.
When will schools reopen?
The Federal Government has not reopened schools, nor given a date for schools to reopen yet.
It is the hope of Nigerian students that the government will look toward education.
Moreover, it is hoped that the steps taken by association leaders so far yield positive fruits.
And it is yet to be seen whether the federal govt will yield to calls for schools to resume this year.
Besides that, it is often said (by students) that the majority of Nigerian students have moved on.
We’ll only see in the coming days.
I hope you like this post? Please share it on Facebook and Twitter using the icons below.
What do you think of schools reopening this year? You see it a good idea for schools to resume this year or next year is best? Leave a comment below.
Maxwell is a Dietitian with passion for showing people hope. With nearly a decade experience helping people make key decisions on education and career, you can find him almost everywhere on this site. From answering admission and scholarship questions to creating tutorials and helping others live their best lives though nutrition. Connect with me on Twitter.
I’m not in support of universities resumption this year.
Its not possible to be promoted to another class tho I don’t see it that way… so its better we just write exams based on what we’ve been thought and some few weeks to read no further classes that will be better if you say schools should resume next year how about new intake and year1.???
Schools should reopen this year..we can’t just waste an academy year..we are the people in churches,markets, business places,and travelers..we are the one’s everywhere..I don’t see why schools have to be an exception to resumption..unless there’s a motive we ain’t aware of..
Let school resume next year in one condition,
If government will promote everyone automatically,
Because this pandemic has affect our school calendar so serious and we can’t just resume this year and start exam within one or two weeks is not proper,
So I suggest next year Thanks.