Lagos, head teachers disagree on school resumption date

The Lagos State Government on Friday endorsed the September 22 new school resumption date declared by the Federal Government.

The state government said since there was no known carrier of Ebola virus disease in the state, there was no justifiable reason why all public and private schools in the state should not resume academic activities on the announced date.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji, said health professionals working with the state on EVD backed the government's decision.

The statement read, "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 the state at the moment. 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 to the virus.

"All public and private educational institutions in the state are therefore directed to schedule their resumption accordingly."

Raji said the situation report available to the government showed that the risk of infection with EVD in the state had been significantly reduced.

He, however, said government had taken measures to tackle any unforeseen situation concerning the virus."

But the Association of Primary Schools Head Teachers of Nigeria, insisted on the October 13 date earlier announced by the Federal Government.

A statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the National President of AOPSHON, Mahmud Lawal and Secretary, Oluwale Adeola, read, "We demand that the school resumption date be extended to October 13, 2014 earlier announced and even beyond if need be, while giving government ample time to provide all the necessary preventive kits to all schools because education is for the living."

AOPSHON said that schools should remain closed until adequate preventive measures were put in place to screen pupils resuming to school.

The association said, "In view of the EVD scare, with reported deaths in Lagos and Port Harcourt and a number of people still under surveillance, the association is of the view that the Federal Government should have maintained the October 13, 2014 resumption date earlier announced."

Meanwhile, the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association has also thrown it's weight behind the Federal Government's decision to shift the resumption date for primary and secondary schools in the country to September 22.

PUNCH