Niger govt orders day-schools to resume in phases Monday | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
28th March 2021
All public day-secondary schools in Niger State are set to reopen on Monday while their counterpart, boarding secondary schools in urban areas across the state have been set to reopen Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
Indication to this effect emerged at the weekend following the expanded meeting of the state’s ministry of education at its expanded meeting of directors, zonal directors of quality assurance and heads of agencies resolved after careful deliberation to reopen public secondary schools in parts of the state on a phased basis.
The State Commissioner of Education, Hannatu Jibrin Salihu, stated this in a statement issued and made available to EduCeleb.com on Sunday in Minna.
She added that low risk boarding secondary schools in rural areas of the state are to run as day schools during the period are also to reopen on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
The educationist explained that the decision by the state government to reopen the schools was coming after a 2–week closure of public secondary schools in Niger State for the conduct of risk assessment, stressing, that public day secondary schools in areas of high risk that would run in clusters with selected safe schools in nearby communities would reopen on a later date to be announced after adequate arrangements were concluded.
”Students from other communities in the boarding schools that would operate as day schools during the period would be moved to another boarding/day secondary schools in their localities,” the statement added.
Salihu stated further that all principals have been provided with specific details in respect of the arrangement under the aforementioned four conditions (1) – (4) highlighting that they were expected to work under and in collaboration with their zonal directors to ensure compliance in the light of the demands of current security realities in the state.
According to her, “All schools, especially those at high risk, would be provided with adequate security meant to enhance the capacity of the school system and security personnel to respond to threats.”
She said, “every school must immediately form a formidable security team, comprising of school officials, security personnel, PTA, SBMC and vigilante with active community participation to allow for strong security presence in and around the schools.”
“In addition, principals are expected to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols by guaranteeing the compulsory wearing of face masks, sanitizing of hands and maintaining social distancing among others,” the statement concluded.