The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday kicked against the
reopening of schools by the Federal Government amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
The union argued that the government must make resources available in
order for schools to meet proposed conditions by the Federal Ministry of
Education.
ASUU National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, made this position known
on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ota, Ogun
State.
He urged the government to provide the ideal environment and meet the
conditions spelt out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control before
reopening schools across the country.
Ogunyemi said, “The Federal Government must lead and show the ways by
meeting the conditions for reopening of schools before any school can be
allowed to open because COVID-19 pandemic is a health challenge.
“When it comes to public health, it is something that should not be left
in the hands of individuals but the Federal Government must take the
lead.”
The ASUU president listed the conditions spelt out by NCDC to include
the provision of materials for regular handwashing, provision of face
masks, isolations spaces, hands sanitisers, amongst others.
He said many government-owned schools don’t have financial capacities to meet the outlined conditions.
He said, “It is suicidal to reopen schools now if the Federal Government
itself could not meet the conditions spelt out by the NCDC and the
World Health Organisation. The nation will expose innocent children to
avoidable risks.”
Schools across the country were shut in March to curb the spread of the pandemic.
