Closure of schools amid COVID-19 prevalence, in the second wave phase, could cause another tragedy of taking the society back again, while the devastating virus keeps following students and/or pupils to their homes.
This observation was made by the Kano state governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, while holding a stakeholders meeting with members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) with some selected Head Teachers, in the series of Stakeholders Sensitisation Meetings on Second Wave of COVID-19 In Kano, held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, Friday.
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar said though there is a dire need to fight the pandemic using all available avenues, but called on all, to clearly understand repercussions of certain actions in the process.
“The issue is not that of closing schools. When you close schools, it is another tragedy also. Because if you close schools with the intent that you take students away from COVID-19, the same pandemic is capable of following them into their respective homes. So what are we saying? he asked rhetorically.
Stating that, the closure of schools would take students and the system of education back again, “…it is because of this, that we exempted teachers from staying at home. Unlike other civil servants, whom we ordered must not come to work, but stay at home,” he explained.
He warned that, COVID-19 protocols must be complied with, saying “We must comply with all the protocols as provided by our able health workers. This is absolutely necessary.”
After assuring them of government’s commitment in the free and compulsory primary and secondary education policy, Governor Ganduje urged parents to help teachers and government in making sure that their children always comply with the protocols of COVID-19.
