Lagos yet to decide on Sept, 22
House of Reps to re-examine date

By  Victor Ahiuma-Young, Dayo Adesulu, Levinus Nwabughiogu,  Amaka Abayomi, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Laju Areyenka  & Monsur Olowoopejo

TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Nigeria Union of Teachers have kicked against the September 22, resumption date for primary and post primary schools in the midst of the nation’s battle to contain the scourge of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD.

While Lagos State Government said, however, that it was yet to decide on the September 22 resumption date for schools in the state, the House of Representatives asked its Committee on Education to meet with the Federal Ministry of Education on the u-turn made by the latter on the resumption date for schools in the country.

The Ministry had earlier fixed resumption for October 13, but later brought it back to September 22 after alleged pressure from some powerful school proprietors. TUC, yesterday, specifically called on the federal government, to ignore pressure allegedly from private school owners, declaring that it could not agree less with the health professionals and other concerned Nigerians who had advised that resumption date of schools be extended until further notice after losing some experienced health workers and other innocent citizens

TUC in a statement by its President and Secretary General, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Musa Lawal respectively, said “Prior to the EVD outbreak there was the insecurity challenge which has so far remained unabated, even though it has claimed thousands of lives and displaced indigenes of the whole of North-east. In fact, as it stands now even if the crisis ends today billion of naira would be required to reconstruct and rehabilitate people who have lost their property and loved ones to the dreaded sect.”

Similarly, NUT speaking through its President, Mr. Michael Alogba, faulted Federal Government’s decision  to allow school  to resume on September 22, saying, “Students should not resume until there is no single case of Ebola in the country.” Alogba told Vanguard that “The Federal Government has done really well in combating the scourge but I would have expected them to stick to the October 13 resumption date because we are still at a point where we are worried about the outbreak in Rivers State and the spread to other states.”

He noted that government should have remained more combative in dealing with this issue instead of succumbing to the pressure of powerful school proprietors, arguing that “for our children to go back to school while EVD cases are still being recorded in different states, government should post health officers to different states to keep the states under surveillance. How many schools have complied with the measures which are supposed to be in place before resumption? How many have the adequate number of equipment or trained personnel?”

No decision yet on resumption, says Lagos
But the Lagos State Government, yesterday, said it was yet to decide on the date because of the vulnerability of the disease in the state in spite of the Federal Government’s directive. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, at a briefing noted that the decision to put on hold the resumption date for schools was based on stakeholders’ recommendation

The commissioner stated: “Last week we had sensitization meeting with all the stakeholders in the education sector. Some advise were given to the schools on how to encourage and inculcate hand washing in their schools. The state government will not stop at that to ensure that the virus is eradicated from the state. We also realized that there is need for pupils to maintain proper toilet hygiene. Any children that is sick, should not be taken to school rather they should be taken to the nearest health facility for proper treatment. That is the international standard.”

Reps to re-examine resumption date
Meanwhile, The House of Representatives has asked its Committee on Education to interface with the Federal Ministry of Education on the u-turn made by the latter on the resumption date for private, public primary and secondary schools in the country for the 2014/201 academic session on Monday, September 22, 2014.

In an interaction with Journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs of the House of Representatives, Victor Afam Ogene, revealed that the Leadership of the House resolved to mandate its Committee on Education to take another look at the issue, “ in the overall interest of the pupils and students, parents and guardian and the general well-being of the entire country.

You will recall that upon the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, the House Committee on Health rose up to the occasion by interfacing with the health authorities, the result of which is the positive containment efforts and call-off of the strike by doctors in the country”.