Ebola: FG says new school resumption date now September 22

The Federal Government in consideration of the positive response and review of situations by the Ministry of Health that Nigeria has achieved about 90 percent success in the fight against the dreaded Ebola virus disease (EVD) has directed all primary and secondary schools across the country to resume academic activities on Monday, September 22, 2014.

It would be noted that the Federal Government had previously directed schools to re-open on October 13, 2014, but following a positive response from the health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, on better containment efforts on the disease by the country, the Federal Government has now re-directed schools to re-open on September 22.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, Ibrahim Shekarau, the minister of education, said,

“The Federal Government after deliberations and considerations of students’ welfares and other factors have now agreed that primary and secondary schools would re-open and begin classes on Monday, 22nd of September 2014”.

According to him, “The training of minimum of two health officials per school as regards the management of the disease continues and should end on or before 22nd of September”.

He directed all schools yet to access basic requirements such as the temperature measuring equipment to do so before the new resumption date.

He also directed that the state ministries of education should put in place rapid response team that would address any reported case of Ebola to ensure safe measures are in place in the fight against the disease.

The minister also warned that no reported case should be trivialised or discarded as he called on state ministries of education and commissioners of education to ensure adequate provision of water, soaps, and disinfectants that would ensure a disease free environment in the schools.

HARRISON EDEH