By Adeola Taylor
We write to call the attention of stakeholders in the education sector both at the Federal and State echelon to the plight of all private school owners and private Educators.
All Administrators, Owners and Educators in the private sector in Nigeria have, in compliance with the directives of the Federal and State Governments for closure of schools due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, been on lockdown for an unprecedented number of weeks now without any special palliative put in place for their continuity and welfare by the Government.
The sudden closure of schools due to COVID-19 outbreak has seriously affected Private Educators all over Nigeria, especially Lagos-State. The extent of the impact cannot be over emphasized as it is now evident that the labour force of these private schools may no longer be sustainable, hence their continuity is under great threat.
We humbly write to request for Government assistance financially as the growing private schools now find it extremely difficult to pay salaries to members of staff as parents are unwilling to pay school fees or for any form of online learning at this time of COVID-19 while so many of them have lost their jobs, the entrepreneurs have lost their sources of income.
While we totally understand the serious need for safety during this trial times on the side of the Government, it is now six (6) weeks of lockdown without any intervention, majority of these schools do not have the financial wherewithal to sustain their continuity, hence the need for serious financial intervention on the side of the Government to mitigate the harshness of the COVID-19 pandemic on the private schools owners.
Note however, that this financial bailout will go a long way in helping private schools owners initiate an online learning to all students as 40% of the population particularly of Lagos State are educated via Private Educational platforms.
We are also ready to strategically support the Government by coming up with strategic worksheets to all household to ensure continuous learning even as we still need to stay at home, else we are at the risk of becoming an endangered specie.
Kindly come to our AID.
We also ready to stay at home and continue to support Government efforts by encouraging and teaching on the spread of Covid 19 and necessary safety measures that can always be taken.
Adeola Taylor is of the Educators Forum in Nigeria.
