When will secondary schools resume in Nigeria?

If you are a parent, educator, guardian, or education stakeholder here in Nigeria, you must be curious to get updates on schools’ resumptions in Nigeria. In fact, you may ask from time to time, ‘when will schools resume in Nigeria’?

Well, we will

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced that both public and private schools will resume on August 3, 2020, after over 3 months of being shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This was disclosed by the Governor while giving a situation report on COVID-19 at Lagos House Marina on July 3, 2020. This is in line with the recent pronouncement by the Federal Government, The governor said that the resumption is only for pupils and students in graduating classes, that is Primary 6, JSS 3, and SSS 3 who are preparing for exams.

He said other schools will remain closed and should continue with the online studies. He said that pupils in primary schools and junior secondary schools 3 students will resume school a week or 2 weeks after the senior secondary school 3 students would have resumed.

The governor also added that this only applies to day schools for both public and private as boarding schools will remain shut. According to the Governor, ‘’Tertiary institutions will remain closed. We continue to support online teaching during this period.

However, students in the transitional classes who have mandatory public examinations ahead of them will be permitted to resume for revision classes and examinations.

The commencement date for this will be from Monday, August 3rd.’’ ’All educational establishments are to follow the guidelines for the reopening. We just finished a very serious meeting with stakeholders in the educational sector for the reopening.

SS3 and Tech 3 students are to start, for JSS3 and primary 6, they will wait for about a week or 2 before resumption.’’ ‘’The permitted opening will be for only day schooling. No boarding activities are permitted during this time.

School authorities are expected to prepare well from now till August 3’’. It can be recalled that the federal government had on Monday, June 29, 2020, announced that pupils and students in graduating classes were free to reopen while also maintaining the safety measures that had been outlined by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19. Update: July 18 2020 – When will secondary schools resume in Nigeria?

The Federal Government has given school owners in the country up to July 29, 2020, to meet specific guidelines towards the reopening of schools at a date to be announced in due course.

Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba stated this, Friday, in Abuja. The minister said the ministry, having consulted widely, has in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), the Education in Emergencies Working Group, developed and circulated guidelines for the reopening of schools.

The minister, according to a statement, Friday, by the Director of Information in the Ministry, Bem Goong, “school owners are to prepare and comply with the guidelines. Nwajuiba said schools are to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state ministries of education, not later than 29 July 2020, “the statement quoted him as saying.

He said consultations with relevant stakeholders will be held to review the situation and decide on a specific date for reopening or otherwise.

The minister further said, having taken the painful but necessary decision not to reopen schools without necessary preparations to ensure the safety of students and teachers, the Federal Ministry of Education has continued consultations with stakeholders, and a mechanism to assess and monitor compliance shall be put in place.

According to him, “Since Tuesday last week, we have consulted widely with stakeholders in the sector, including Commissioners of Education in all the states of the federation, the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria,(APSON), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools,(NAPPS), Provosts of Colleges of Education, Rectors of Polytechnics, Vice-Chancellors of universities, some state governors, and development partners.”

Commenting on WAEC, Nwajuiba said, “We met with WAEC on Monday and have agreed to further consult with four other countries on new examination date.” “We appreciate the concern shown by all stakeholders and note the divergent views expressed on the matter. “Parents should be rest assured that the safety of our students and teachers is paramount as we work assiduously towards the speedy reopening of our schools for the exit classes to take external examinations,” he added.

This came as it had settled with four countries on a new date for the suspended West African Examinations Council, WAEC. In summary, secondary schools may be able to resume anytime from July 29th as long as they have met the conditions stipulated by the ministry of education as discussed above.

Update 13th July 2020 – When will secondary schools resume in Nigeria? The federal government has released guidelines ahead of the resumption of schools at every level in the country. The guidelines for the safe reopening of schools and learning facilities after the COVID-19 pandemic outlined actions, measures, and requirements needed for resumption.

In the document released by the federal ministry of health and the National Centre for Disease Control education emergencies working group and signed by the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, on Monday, the federal government said learners should be supported to stay two metres apart.

However, the government did not disclose when schools will resume. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the closure of schools and other learning facilities since March. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the federal government reversed its earlier announcement on the resumption of schools.

The minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, also announced during a media briefing on July 6 that WAEC examination will take place between August 4 and September 5. But Mr Adamu last week said no Nigerian school will participate in examinations earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.

This year's examination was postponed indefinitely in April after it was earlier scheduled to commence in May. New guidelines – (for schools resumption in view of covid-19 pandemic) The 52-page document also showed that where the two-meter rule cannot be reasonably applied, other risk mitigation strategies may be adopted.

"Examples include early years, younger primary school children, and those with additional needs". "The scenarios require organising learners and children into small groups with consistent membership and compliance to the risk mitigation strategies. The membership of these groups should not change unless the NCDC public health guideline suggests otherwise," the document reads in part.

The document also revealed that the government will conduct a rapid assessment and determine funding requirement for upgrading infrastructure and facilities to sustain prescribed safe school reopening requirements. The document said it was time for the education sector to plan and address the eventual safe reopening of schools and learning facilities.

Among the guidelines are recommendations for the review of existing policies, practices, and risk mitigation strategies in the use of schools for other purposes, such as distance learning centres, temporary shelters, isolation, quarantine and treatment centres, markets, voting centres, among others.

"As a responsible government, it is also our duty to provide comprehensive guidelines for a safe and hitch-free reopening of schools and learning facilities. We do so knowing that the health, safety, and security of learners, teachers, education personnel, and families are priorities," the document reads in part.

The document recommended what government called, "systematic, phased, safe reopening that factors resource availability to meet basic requirements and differentials in COVID-19 effect (e.g., fumigation and disinfection of schools; provision of learning material; impact and vulnerabilities across schools, learning facilities, communities, localities, local governments, and states)."

The minister also said safety and hygiene measures outlined in the document "should be followed carefully." "It is imperative that safe distancing between adult staff working with such groups be maintained," the document reads.

Safe distancing, staggered attendance, others While considering what it called "Alternative Learning models for safe distancing", the government said schools must implement safe distancing measures that minimize and isolate risks.

"As such, they may offer some alternative learning models," it explained. "Outdoor learning can limit transmission and also allows for safe distancing between learners and teachers. The use of shelter outdoors is necessary for the protection and safety of learners and teachers.

In addition, safety in all weathers and security measures are required for each location." Speaking on staggered attendance, the document said "learners may arrive and depart at different times to avoid overcrowding; schools may reopen gradually (e.g., starting with particular grade levels)."

On alternate attendance, the document said schools may alternate attendance days per week, "with learners at the secondary level (or equivalent) and above having fewer in-person classes". "Learners can better manage independent learning (e.g., junior secondary school learners attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays while primary school learners attend classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays)."

The document also said classes may be divided into morning and afternoon shifts. Speaking on 'decreased interaction', the document said learners may remain in one location "with teachers coming to them." "In addition, lessons may be delivered more holistically to take into account various learning environments for in-person learning (indoor, outdoor) and various media for distance learning (printed materials, online, TV, and radio).

Learners may have allocated time learning in each of these environments to reduce the burden placed on indoor facilities."