By David Odama

Nasarawa State government Monday ordered public and private schools in the state to remain closed for additional two weeks  from the initial January 4th  resumption date.

It was  not clear at the time of filling this report  whether the extension of the school resumption date is in response to the second wave of the coronavarus pandemic reportedly being experienced in the state.

It would be recalled that the new wave of Covid19 recently  hits Nasarawa leaving not less than  30 persons confirmed positive in one day.

The state ministry of Education Science and Technology in a statement issued and signed by the Commissioner, Hajiya Fatu Jimaita Sabo on Monday directed all public,  private schools operating in the state and other stakeholders in the Education sector to adhered strictly to the directive.

According to the statement, “the ministry wishes to inform members of the public, particularly parents,  guardians, students, pupils, Chief Evaluation officers, principals, Head Teachers and other stakeholders in the Education sector, that based on the outcome of consultations with the State Ministry of Health, all public and private schools in the state will now re-open on Monday,18th January,2021”

The statement added the the 18th January would mark the  commencement of  the first term of  2020/2021 academic session.

“This  directive and arrangement supersedes earlier communication on the matter. All concerned are therefore, required to strictly adhered, please”, the statement added.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Lagos govt reopens all remaining school classes Oct 19

Nasarawa State government  had disclosed that the state has so far recorded 15 dead including former Provost of the College of Education, Akwanga, Dr Rebecca Umaru since the outbreak of the pandemic..

Speaking at the enlarged meeting of the COVID19 council in government House , Lafia, the  then acting governor who is also the COVID19 taskforce Chairman, Dr Emmanuel Akabe disclosed that total patients discharged  stood at 668  between March and December.

The COVID19 taskforce Chairman stressed the need for the State to take measures to curtail the spread considering the proximity of the State to the  Federal Capital Territory, FCT which is among the cities with high number of positive cases of COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are aware of what is happening now in the world as far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, there have been upsurge and we never known  that it was going to affect us this much.

” In Nasarawa  the surge has come, is real.  we had  gone  as low as below 100 positive cases diagnosed,  but in the last one month it become a different story all together”, the chairman said.

Vanguard News Nigeria