Re-opening of schools: Reps want FG to revert to October 13 date

The House of Representatives is opposed to the September 22 resumption date for private and public primary/secondary schools announced last week by the Federal Government.
The House said Tuesday that reopening schools on that date was tantamount to putting the lives of over 80 million Nigerians at risk.
The position of the House is in tandem with that of the National body for Parents Teachers Association which a few days ago kicked against the new resumption date, urging the Federal Government to stick to the earlier announced October 13 date .
Recent cases of Ebola victims in Rivers State and Osun States have strengthened the position of the lawmakers and the teachers and guardians.
The Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Victor Ogene, explained that the House had directed its Committee on Education to take “another look” at the date in view of the fact that the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country had yet to be fully contained.
According to Ogene, there is still apprehension among parents and guardians over the Federal Government’s decision to change the earlier resumption date of October 13 to September 22.
He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday.
Indications are that the government fell to the pressures from private school owners to fix the September 22 date.
The Minister of Education, Mr. Ibrahim Shekarau, had earlier stated that the October 13 resumption date was to give health officers enough time to bring the EVD under control.
Ogene said the position of the leadership of the House House was borne out of concern expressed by the public, especially parents and guardians.
He said that the House had asked the committee to look into the matter urgently “in the overall interest of the pupils and students, parents and guardian and the general well-being of the entire country.”
“You will recall that upon the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus disease in Nigeria, the House Committee on Health rose up to the occasion by interfacing with the health authorities – the result of which is the positive containment efforts and call-off of the strike by doctors in the country,” the lawmaker said.
He said that the fact that some persons were still under surveillance, it would be risky to hurriedly send children back to school.
Ogene posited that it was incumbent on the House to safeguard the entire country from a likely further spread of the disease.
According to him, the committee will come up with recommendations on the appropriate and safe date to re-open the schools.
He added that on September 8, a group, Africa Health, Human and Social Development Information Service, had advised against the re-opening of the schools, warning that doing so could put the lives of over 80 million school children and teachers at risk.