Kaduna State Government has announced its approval of the reopening of all public and private schools in the state on 19th October.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Shehu Makarfi, made the disclosure to journalists on Thursday in Kaduna.
Makarfi said students of boarding schools would, however, resume on 18th October, while all other schools will resume on the 19th.
He said schools would operate morning and afternoon shifts, to provide adequate space for the students to observe social distancing.
“The resumption is for both public and private schools as well as all high institutions in the state.
“The resumption is going to be in batches, all JSS2 students, primary six students will also resume to sit for their various exams.
“The SS2 students will come back to sit for the exams that would enable them move to SS3 while the JS2 students will equally sit for exams that will move them to JS3.
“Primary six students will come back to write the exit exams that will move them to JS1.
“Adequate arrangements have been put in place in all the institutions,’’ commissioner said.
According to him, high institutions have been directed to also return students in stages and do blended learning for students in the schools.
The commissioner said the state government had provided infrared thermometer in boarding schools as well as wash hand points in all the schools.
“The boarding schools are going to have infrared thermometer, with a wall-mounted thermometer which will provide automatic temperature reading for students.”
He added that the state government would monitor the schools to ensure strict compliance to COVID-19 protocols.
“Once we found out that the arrangement we made was adequate, we would also invite the next batch of students to come and join their colleagues.
“This will be done gradually until we are able to absorb all the students back to classes,” he said.
The commissioner called on parents to provide additional face marks and hand sanitisers to their children.
He stressed the need for all principals to ensure compliance of social distance in schools, saying no classroom should have more than 20 students at a time.
“That is why we are encouraging blended learning where online learning and classroom contact is combined.
“We also encourage schools to go on shift learning. Some can come in the morning while others come in the afternoon so as to have adequate space and less time for contact by students.
“The state government also appeal to parents to safeguard the various means of transportation for their children from home to schools.
“We encourage parenst to use and arrange communal buses that will pick their children from their community to schools, this will assist in reducing community transmission of diseases,’’ he said.
The commissioner said the state government would have a meeting with the leadership of islamiyya schools to ensure they follow the protocols set out by the government.
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