Ebola: Uncertainty Over Schools Resumption In Nigeria
Written by Marcel Mbamalu, Kamal Oropo and Chukwuma Muanya (Lagos), Lawrence Njoku (Enugu) Anietie Akpan (Calabar), Murtala Muhammed (Kano), Msugh Ityokura, Makurdi
Nigerian Guardian
school• Teachers Divided
• We Are Going Ahead, Says Health Minister
AT best, confusion surrounds the planned reopening of schools Monday, after the Federal Government said the Ebola scourge has been contained, while parents and teachers in some states kick against it.
The disagreement has remained a thorny issue, especially as Education remains on the Concurrent List, meaning that both Federal Government and states can act on issues thereon as they affect them. Already the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has resisted tomorrow’s resumption date on grounds that necessary preventive measures (against Ebola) were not on ground in the schools, and urged the Federal Government to ensure that sanitisers and water, among others, are made available before resumption.
The schools, which were originally meant to reopen for the 2013/2014 academic session on September 15, 2014 were asked to suspend resumption until October 13, when the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, in the thinking of government, would have been adequately contained. But government was to change its mind for September 22 date after a special meeting, which declared that the EVD was not a real threat to academic activities across the country.
Since then, controversy has trailed the planned reopening. As Federal Government insists on going ahead, some state governments say the coast is not yet clear for schools resumption. Rivers specifically fixed October 6, two weeks after the Federal Government-approved date, for schools resumption.
But Mr. Dan Nwomeh, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday told The Guardian that: “Schools are resuming on Monday; there is no change to that decision. All I can confirm to you is that the Minister has not made any contrary statement.”
CROSS RIVER
The NUT in Cross River State, yesterday, warned parents and the State Government against allowing students to return to schools tomorrow without putting adequate anti-Ebola measures in place. They said their teachers would not be available to resume with the children unless the state government provides all the facilities needed to guarantee safety.
The State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Eyonsa Itam Nsa, told The Guardian that teachers in the state would not resume until the government of Liyel Imoke fully complies with the NUT directive. He said the state government was only able to provide N14, 500 (N10,00 for the school; N4,500 for the head teacher) for each of the schools to prevent possible outbreak of Ebola among the children.
There are neither enough water nor scanners in the schools to test pupils for Ebola.
LAGOS
IN Lagos, the State Government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) appear to be on collusion course. The state chapter of the NUT has described as ill-advised the decision by the Federal Government to reopen schools, vowing to ensure that the schools remain under lock and key until all gadgets required to prevent the EVD are put in place.
Speaking yesterday to The Guardian, Chairman of the NUT (Lagos Wing) Comrade Segun Raheem, claimed that the government was yet to make provisions for the resumption by providing the necessary gadget to prevent the scourge. His words: “Schools will only resume when gadgets to prevent EVD have been put in place.
“From the report we have, Lagos State has not done that. On Thursday when I spoke with state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, she promised that those things would be ready by Monday. As of yesterday, those prevention gadgets are yet to be made available.
But Special Adviser (Media) to the State Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello, said every necessary plan had been taken to ensure hitch-free resumption. He said: “We should not be hampered by fear of what is no more on ground. Lagos State is safe for resumption of schools, as far as Ebola is concerned. We use this opportunity to call on the members of the NUT to cooperate with the government.”
ENUGU
Official of NUT Enugu were not willing to comment on the matter, but there are high hopes that students will return to school by Monday, as there was no announcement to the contrary.
ANAMBRA AND ABIA
There were also strong indications that schools will reopen in Anambra and Abia states as neither the state governments nor the NUT in both states made any statement suggesting otherwise.
Mr. Emeka Ozumba, the special adviser (Media) to Governor Wilie Obiano of Anambra State, in a text message last night, confirmed that schools and their teachers were ready for students’ return. “Anambra (schools) resume tomorrow,” Ozumba said.
KANO
Kano state chapter of the NUT has insisted that teachers across the state would not comply with the September 22 school resumption date until the state government fulfills all the required righteousness.
Subsequently, the NUT directed members in both public primary and secondary schools in Kano to disregard the stipulated date until further instruction is issued from the union’s office.
Nevertheless the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in Kano has resolved to return to school on Monday (tomorrow).
In a communiqué signed by the NUT state chairman and secretary Lawan Abdu Garun Malam and Haruna Mohammed Ilallah respectively, the teachers posited that council had resolved to steer clear of the classrooms due to government’s refusal to comply with “all the needful” before resumption date.
The teachers claimed that government had refused to integrate the Union in the scheme of activities set up to check possible spread of Ebola in Kano.
BENUE
In Benue, tomorrow’s planned resumption for schools is still a subject of controversy, as the NUT insists it is not convinced of the Federal Government’s level of preparedness.
While the government is adamant on the said resumption date, the NUT is demanding an extension of resumption time.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Ugo, who spoke with newsmen on the matter in Makurdi yesterday, insisted that “the proposed resumption date stands.”
She stated: “The resumption date remains Monday, although meeting and consultation are ongoing; so, if there are changes, you will be informed,” even as she remained silent on the level of government’s preparedness to that effect.
But while the state chairman of the NUT, Mr. Godwin Anyaka, could not be reached for comments, a source at the secretariat informed The Guardian yesterday that the state branch of the union was following the instructions of the Federal Government on the matter.
NORTH-EAST
Meanwhile, indications are rife that there could be difficulties in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, where insurgency is taking a toll on governance. The Guardian learnt that, should schools resume tomorrow in Adamawa, it would only be feasible in few local governments.
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| Nigerian school students. |
Nigerian Guardian
school• Teachers Divided
• We Are Going Ahead, Says Health Minister
AT best, confusion surrounds the planned reopening of schools Monday, after the Federal Government said the Ebola scourge has been contained, while parents and teachers in some states kick against it.
The disagreement has remained a thorny issue, especially as Education remains on the Concurrent List, meaning that both Federal Government and states can act on issues thereon as they affect them. Already the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has resisted tomorrow’s resumption date on grounds that necessary preventive measures (against Ebola) were not on ground in the schools, and urged the Federal Government to ensure that sanitisers and water, among others, are made available before resumption.
The schools, which were originally meant to reopen for the 2013/2014 academic session on September 15, 2014 were asked to suspend resumption until October 13, when the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, in the thinking of government, would have been adequately contained. But government was to change its mind for September 22 date after a special meeting, which declared that the EVD was not a real threat to academic activities across the country.
Since then, controversy has trailed the planned reopening. As Federal Government insists on going ahead, some state governments say the coast is not yet clear for schools resumption. Rivers specifically fixed October 6, two weeks after the Federal Government-approved date, for schools resumption.
But Mr. Dan Nwomeh, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday told The Guardian that: “Schools are resuming on Monday; there is no change to that decision. All I can confirm to you is that the Minister has not made any contrary statement.”
CROSS RIVER
The NUT in Cross River State, yesterday, warned parents and the State Government against allowing students to return to schools tomorrow without putting adequate anti-Ebola measures in place. They said their teachers would not be available to resume with the children unless the state government provides all the facilities needed to guarantee safety.
The State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Eyonsa Itam Nsa, told The Guardian that teachers in the state would not resume until the government of Liyel Imoke fully complies with the NUT directive. He said the state government was only able to provide N14, 500 (N10,00 for the school; N4,500 for the head teacher) for each of the schools to prevent possible outbreak of Ebola among the children.
There are neither enough water nor scanners in the schools to test pupils for Ebola.
LAGOS
IN Lagos, the State Government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) appear to be on collusion course. The state chapter of the NUT has described as ill-advised the decision by the Federal Government to reopen schools, vowing to ensure that the schools remain under lock and key until all gadgets required to prevent the EVD are put in place.
Speaking yesterday to The Guardian, Chairman of the NUT (Lagos Wing) Comrade Segun Raheem, claimed that the government was yet to make provisions for the resumption by providing the necessary gadget to prevent the scourge. His words: “Schools will only resume when gadgets to prevent EVD have been put in place.
“From the report we have, Lagos State has not done that. On Thursday when I spoke with state Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, she promised that those things would be ready by Monday. As of yesterday, those prevention gadgets are yet to be made available.
But Special Adviser (Media) to the State Governor, Mr. Hakeem Bello, said every necessary plan had been taken to ensure hitch-free resumption. He said: “We should not be hampered by fear of what is no more on ground. Lagos State is safe for resumption of schools, as far as Ebola is concerned. We use this opportunity to call on the members of the NUT to cooperate with the government.”
ENUGU
Official of NUT Enugu were not willing to comment on the matter, but there are high hopes that students will return to school by Monday, as there was no announcement to the contrary.
ANAMBRA AND ABIA
There were also strong indications that schools will reopen in Anambra and Abia states as neither the state governments nor the NUT in both states made any statement suggesting otherwise.
Mr. Emeka Ozumba, the special adviser (Media) to Governor Wilie Obiano of Anambra State, in a text message last night, confirmed that schools and their teachers were ready for students’ return. “Anambra (schools) resume tomorrow,” Ozumba said.
KANO
Kano state chapter of the NUT has insisted that teachers across the state would not comply with the September 22 school resumption date until the state government fulfills all the required righteousness.
Subsequently, the NUT directed members in both public primary and secondary schools in Kano to disregard the stipulated date until further instruction is issued from the union’s office.
Nevertheless the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in Kano has resolved to return to school on Monday (tomorrow).
In a communiqué signed by the NUT state chairman and secretary Lawan Abdu Garun Malam and Haruna Mohammed Ilallah respectively, the teachers posited that council had resolved to steer clear of the classrooms due to government’s refusal to comply with “all the needful” before resumption date.
The teachers claimed that government had refused to integrate the Union in the scheme of activities set up to check possible spread of Ebola in Kano.
BENUE
In Benue, tomorrow’s planned resumption for schools is still a subject of controversy, as the NUT insists it is not convinced of the Federal Government’s level of preparedness.
While the government is adamant on the said resumption date, the NUT is demanding an extension of resumption time.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Ugo, who spoke with newsmen on the matter in Makurdi yesterday, insisted that “the proposed resumption date stands.”
She stated: “The resumption date remains Monday, although meeting and consultation are ongoing; so, if there are changes, you will be informed,” even as she remained silent on the level of government’s preparedness to that effect.
But while the state chairman of the NUT, Mr. Godwin Anyaka, could not be reached for comments, a source at the secretariat informed The Guardian yesterday that the state branch of the union was following the instructions of the Federal Government on the matter.
NORTH-EAST
Meanwhile, indications are rife that there could be difficulties in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, where insurgency is taking a toll on governance. The Guardian learnt that, should schools resume tomorrow in Adamawa, it would only be feasible in few local governments.
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