By Amaka Abayomi, Gbenga Olarinoye, Dayo Adesulu, Daud Olatunji, Marie-Therese Nanlong, Ikenna Asomba & Tare Youdeowei

BARELY five days to the September 22 resumption date fixed by the Federal Government in consensus with the 36 states Ministries of Education, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for primary and secondary schools in the country to resume for academic activities, several state governments, as well as school administrators, have expressed readiness to resume, pointing out that they have put adequate measures in place to contain any possible outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in schools.

Those who gave assurances of their preparedness were the Commissioners for Education of Anambra, Edo, Ogun, Rivers and Lagos states, as well as Principals of Caro Favoured College, Awodi-Ora, Lagos, Kings College, Lagos Island, Lagos, Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, Cross River State and the Proprietor, Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos.

Singular directive
Recall that following the outbreak of the deadly EVD, with the arrival of the late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, the Federal Government had, on August 26, postponed resumption of private and public primary and secondary schools to October 13, 2014, as a precautionary step against the spread of the virus.

However, based on expert information from the Ministry of Health, after an emergency meeting with State Commissioners for Education in Abuja on Friday, September 5, the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, reviewed the resumption date to September 22, 2014.

Shekarau, who noted that all unity colleges should also adhere to the new resumption date, assured that measures put in place to curb the spread of Ebola are still intact.
According to him, “any state Ministry of Education that has not appointed desk officers on Ebola should do that before resumption and should ensure that, at least, two staff from all schools are trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola.

Also, the former Kano State Governor directed the ministries to, as a matter of urgency, embark on sensitization of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools on preventive measures, noting that the training must be concluded before schools resume.

High preparedness
Speaking to Vanguard Learning, the Edo State Commissioner for Higher Education (Secondary, Tertiary and Technical), Barr. Washington Osifo said government’s directive for schools to resume September 22 has been wholeheartedly accepted by the state government.

He said: “Yes, the September 22 resumption date is not a fluke and the judgement was based on expert information given us by those saddled with the responsibility of certifying that schools are safe to resume.

“Having critically ascertained that the virus is now 99.99 per cent under control, the ministries of Health and Education directed that schools across the federation can resume September 22. So, if those saddled with the responsibility have done so, what are we waiting for?”

Speaking further, Osifo said the state government has organised sensitisation workshop for private and public school teachers in the state from September 11th to 13th.
“Although Edo State hasn’t recorded any case of Ebola, the workshop is also to keep them abreast of other contagious diseases that go with improper hygiene common among children.”

Similarly, the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha affirmed the state’s readiness to tackle the scourge even before the directive by the Minister of Education on September 5.

Omenugha said: “Even before the meeting with the Minister of Education, we have been proactive in preventing the virus from gaining entrance into the state. At the moment, we have trained 1,044 Head Teachers of primary schools, 21 Education Secretaries, as well as 256 secondary school principals. We have also met with officials of the Ministry of Health on how to further train about 5,000 teachers this weekend.

“As a state committed to combating the scourge, we have also provided infra-red thermometers for schools, as well as come up with resumption communication that have been sent across to churches and town leaders, that no parent must allow any of the sick child to resume for academic activities. The same has been passed across to schools in the state, so, any child who has malaria fever or any other sickness will not be allowed into schools come Monday.

“We have also provided instructional materials to schools and town unions and the state government has provided N500,000 each to schools for the acquisition of sick bays. Schools with high population have also been identified and government has directed the MDGs unit to build toilet facilities and sink boreholes in these schools.”

Aware that these measures may not be completed before resumption, Omenugha said government has made provisions for make-shift taps like drums, soaps and water in schools, as well as inculcating the habit of hand-washing among the children.

Also prepared for resumption is Ogun State as the state government said the ebola sensitisation workshop for teachers commenced on Tuesday and would end today (Thursday).
This was disclosed by the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Segun Odubela, who said that arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of all students in the state when they resume.

“The Ogun State government commenced Ebola training for teachers on Tuesday and will end today. The training was held in four centres.”
On her part, the Commissioner for Education, Rivers State, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi has threatened to shut down any school that fails to provide pipe-borne water for its students.

Speaking at a sensitisation workshop for teachers on how to prevent and manage the EVD, on Monday, Lawrence-Nemi said: “Potable water would ensure that the teachers, pupils and students washed their hands regularly with soap so as to reduce the chances of contracting the virus.”

Also, over 8,000 teachers in Plateau State have been trained on the prevention, control and containment of the EVD.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day workshop for teachers, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fom Dakwak, said though the state has not recorded any case of the virus, funds have been released by the state government for life support ambulance, utility vehicles, personal protective equipment, among others to ensure a timely intervention in case of any eventuality.

In the same vein, the Lagos State Government has expressed its support for the September 22 resumption date announced by the Federal Government.

*An Islamic school

Speaking through the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Information and Strategy, Alhaji Lateef Raji, the state government said: “Although this resumption date is advisory, as education is a concurrent matter to be regulated by the respective federal and state authorities, Lagos State Government considers it eminently justifiable, in view of the fact that there is currently no known carrier of EVD in our state.

“Furthermore, the last individual suspected to have been exposed to the virus will be discharged from observation on September 18, 2014, if he tests negative for the virus. All public and private educational institutions in the state are therefore directed to schedule their resumption accordingly.

“Considering the current situation report, it is clear that the risk of infection with EVD in Lagos State has been significantly reduced and health professionals working on the outbreak have agreed that there is no reason why schools should remain closed beyond September 22.

“In spite of the foregoing, the state government has developed and will deploy all resources necessary to sustain the capacity to promptly take into custody any person suspected to be infected with EVD, as well as safely test, monitor and isolate such person(s) for treatment as may be found necessary without endangering other members of the public.

“In spite of the foregoing, the state government reiterates that the health of all its residents is a matter of utmost importance and if  any reason for a reconsideration of the school resumption date arises, a well-considered decision will be taken and the general public will be informed accordingly.”

Meanwhile, principals of public schools from the six education districts as well as Education Secretaries and Head Teachers of public schools in the state were sensitized on the management of the risks associated with the virus 17th September while private schools’ proprietors were sensitized on Thursday, September 18.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye said the sensitization meeting also dwelt on the provision of running water and soap and the encouragement of frequent hand washing among students and pupils and the arrangement of prompt referral of any sick person to the nearest health institution for treatment.

Still undecided about the resumption date for both primary and secondary schools students is Osun State as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Osun State, Mr. Lawrence Ademola Oyeniran, stated that government was still making consultations with all the stakeholders in the education industry in the state.

“The state government is still consulting with all the relevant stakeholders in the industry in the state. It is after the consultations that we will be able to arrive at when our pupils and students will resume.”

Principals’ readiness
Meanwhile, the Principal, Hope Waddell Training Institution Calabar, Cross River State, Mr. Edet Iyang, says the Presbyterian Women have come to their aid by drilling more boreholes to support water from the water board to increase water supply.

“We are going to put sanitizers everywhere, have decongested the dormitories to at most 10 boys in a big hall and we are working on decongesting the class rooms but that has more technicalities like employing more teachers. We have fumigated and are awaiting temperature guns from the government though we will get ours, but our main plan is to occupy the boys so they will have minimal physical contact.”

Also ready for resumption are the Principals, Kings College, Ikoyi, Lagos, and Caro Favoured College, Awodi-Ora, Lagos, Otunba Dele Olapeju and Mr. Mark Okoh, who both said adequate training has been given to their teachers who attended training organised by the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Lagos State, adding that running taps, as well as hand sanitisers have been provided in strategic locations in their schools.

For the Proprietor, Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos, Chief Agbolade Onasanya: “We are ready to resume on September 22, and have provided running water, soaps and sanitisers in strategic areas in the school.

The school nurse has been trained to take care of the students. Also, all the staff have been trained to enable them adjust to the current realities on ground, as well as give the students a sense of belonging on resumption.”