FG Releases Fresh COVID-19 Guidelines To Schools

As schools across the country are gearing up for resumption after months of closure due to COVID-19, the Federal Government (FG) has released fresh guidelines for them to follow.

Disclosing the new guidelines, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) stated that schools have now been directed to conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment on weekly basis.

Aside from the schools, the agency said local governments and states have also been ordered to conduct monthly and quarterly COVID-19 risk assessment in schools respectively.

Newsrand learnt of the new guidelines from an obtained e-mail.

In the mail, the NCDC clarified that the asessment will determine schools’ level of compliance with safety protocols including physical distancing, hand-washing and the use of face masks.

Recall that schools across the country were shut in the wake of COVID-19 in Nigeria, as part of measures to check the infectious disease spread.

Months after closure, precisely Monday, August 17, 2020, SSS 3 students resumed to write the West African Senior School Examinations (WASSCE).

Weeks after the exams started (Thursday, September 3), the Presidential Task Force (PTF) recommended phased reopening of schools.

Following the PTF’s recommendation, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, amongst other states have announced dates for reopening of their schools.