The federal government has given school proprietors across the country up to July 29 to meet specific guidelines set towards the reopening of schools.
The date of re-opening is to be confirmed in due course.
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said it in Abuja on Friday.
The Minister said the announcement is coming just as Nigeria and four countries are setting a new date for the suspended West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
The Minister did not mention any of the four countries.
It has been stated earlier that the federal government has released guidelines for the resumption of schools at all levels in the country.
The guidelines were for the safe re-opening of schools and learning facilities following the COVID-19 pandemic and outlined the actions, measures and requirements needed for re-opening.
A 52-page document containing the guidelines called for a two-metre rule to divide each pupil. This specified that other risk reduction approaches can be implemented where the two-metre rule cannot be fairly applied.
On Friday, Mr. Nwajuiba asked school owners to prepare and follow the guidelines, adding that “schools are to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state ministries of education, not later than July 29, 2020.”
He said that meetings with the concerned ‘stakeholders’ will be held to review the situation and agree on a clear date for re-opening or otherwise.
“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,” he said.
”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,” he said.
Speaking on WASSCE, Mr Nwajuiba said, ”the government met with WAEC on Monday and (we) have agreed to further consult with four other countries on a new examination date.”
The government reversed its earlier declaration of the resumption of schools.
It also reported that no Nigerian school would participate in the WASSCE earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.
This year’s examination, administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), was postponed indefinitely in April after it had been scheduled to begin earlier in May.
It was delayed after schools had been shut down throughout the country in a effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
