Students Who Haven’t Paid Third Term School Fees Will Not Write Exams -FG

The Federal Government has said that students in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 and Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 may not write their exams if their third term school fees are not paid.

Schools were shut down across the country in March 2020 to guard against the spread of COVID-19, resulting in massive disruption of the normal third term’s academic activities.

In a statement released by the Director of Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goong, students in exit classes- JSS3 and SSS 3, who are expected to resume on Monday (today) must show evidence of school fees payment.

The West African Examination Council (WAEC-SSCE) will start on the 17th of August, 2020 while the National Business and Technical Examination Board, (NABTEB) examinations will start on the 21st September and end by 15th October, 2020.

The Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for SS3, conducted by NECO will start on the 5th of October and end on 18th of November, 2020.

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The Basic Education Certificate Examinations, (BECE) for JSS 3 also conducted by NECO, will start on the 24th of August and end on the 7th of September, 2020.

The National Common Entrance Examination, (NCEE) which is a one-day examination for intending applicants into Unity Colleges (JSS1) will start on 17th, October 2020.

Ahead resumption today, FG disinfects 19,000 unity schools

Senior Secondary 3 students trekking to School after the federal government lifted the COVID-19 lockdown for them to resume classes in preparation for the forthcoming exam by the West African Examinations Councils at Ijaye Ogba road in Agege, Lagos yesterday

The Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education has commenced decontamination of 19,000 unity schools in preparation for their resumption.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, while briefing newsmen in Kaduna, said the collaborating ministries had put in place a sustainable system which would protect the health of learners and their caregivers’ at all educational levels.

WASSCE: Lagos Secondary schools resume amidst COVID-19

School resumption: FG decontaminates 19,000 exam centers

While re-assuring parents of the safety and well-being of their wards, he urged them to ensure they were properly kitted with face masks during the examination.

“Starting with the Federal Government Colleges (Unity schools) and then some of the schools that will host the Senior School Certificate Examination, numbering about 19, 000, whereas the unity schools will be subjected to thorough decontamination/disinfection in the coming days immediately after the Eid-el-Kabir break.

Our personnel would be mounting surveillance in some of the examination centers.

“This will include decontaminating examination halls at the end of every examination session. As with the decontamination and disinfection previously embarked upon by the ministry, this time around, it will entail the use of friendly and globally accepted formulations-friendly to the environment and people,” he said.

Also, the federal government yesterday confirmed that all the 104 Unity schools across the country were ready for reopening for exit classes today (Tuesday) in compliance with its earlier directive to enable final year students prepare for their examination.

As part of measures to this effect, various states yesterday rolled out guidelines aimed at mitigating the spread of the CVID-19 pandemic.

While all returning students are to undergo temperature checks among other protocols before being admitted into their schools, temperature tests are also expected to be carried out on students, it was gathered.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, after a meeting with Commissioners of Education of the 36 states of the Federation via the Zoom platform yesterday, lauded Principals of Unity Colleges for the comprehensive preparation put in place for resumption.

The Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Ben Bem Goong, in a statement said during the meeting, the Commissioners reported varying degrees of preparation and readiness for reopening between the 4th and 10th of August, 2020 for virtually all schools within their jurisdictions.

He noted that from Monday (yesterday), the Minister of State for Education, Permanent Secretary and Directors had embarked on an assessment tour of all Unity Colleges to ascertain and confirm the reports they received from the Principals of Unity Colleges.

FCT

Schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are set to resume classes for exit students but Daily Trust findings have revealed that most of the schools are yet to put in place safety measures.

Our reporter, who visited some primary and secondary schools in the territory, observed that none of the schools have been decontaminated.

In LEA Science Primary School Abaji, there was no indication that fumigation was carried out while Junior Secondary School, Kekeshi, in the area was also not fumigated.

Also in Kwali Central Primary School and Government Secondary School at Oversea Quarters, there was no sign of decontamination of the schools.

The chairman of the FCT wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Comrade Stephen Knabayi, said no school has been fumigated, saying ” as I am talking to you right now, we are still holding meeting with regards to the issue of the fumigation of schools and other NCDC guidelines for schools resumption.

But according to a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the FCTA’s Education Secretariat at 7:00pm yesterday, the FCTA said it carried out the fumigation of secondary schools, as well as made available facemasks, hand sanitizers and infrared thermometers for use in the schools.

The statement said the Chairman, FCT Secondary Education Board, Hon. Yahaya Musa Muhammad, briefed newsmen about the development  yesterday.

Rivers

In Rivers State, COVID-19 hygiene kits purchased by the state government were distributed to 257 public schools last weekend in line with the guidelines for the resumption of schools.

Governor Nyesom Wike said the sanitary and hygiene kits which include hand sanitizers, gloves, face masks, detergents, running water buckets, and disinfectants were part of government’s effort to ensure that students were not infected with the coronavirus as they return to school for their exit examinations.

The governor urged the Principals to ensure the proper utilization of the kits by sanitizing their school environment and also follow the necessary COVID-19 protocols.

Lagos

Our reporter who monitored resumption in some schools in Lagos State observed that both public and private schools were open to final year students.

At Agidingbi Senior Grammar School along Lateef Jakande road, our reporter observed a banner welcoming the students back from COVID-19 lockdown and also asking those with fever, cough or shortness of breath not to enter the school premises.

From the gate, students, teachers and visitors’ temperature were checked by the security with an infrared thermometer while they were asked to use hand sanitizers before going into the school premises.

A staff of the school who spoke on ground of anonymity told our reporter that there was over 60percent turn out of students to school on the first day of resumption, saying about 70 out of the 120 SS3 students were present in school.

An SS3 students at the Agidingbi senior grammar school, Eze Blessing expressed happiness over school resumption, saying, it would help her prepare better for her examination. “At the moment, I am about 70per cent prepared for the WASSCE but with the resumption, I will do better because there is power in collaboration and learning under a tutor amidst colleagues,” she said.

 Kwara

The Kwara State government on Monday gave out 65,000 face masks for distribution across schools ahead of Wednesday’s resumption of students preparing for the secondary school certificate examinations.

A statement by the spokesperson for the state technical committee on COVID-19, Rafiu Ajakaye said the face masks are to be distributed to senior secondary class three (exit) students as part the government’s efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19 transmission in Kwara State.

Presenting the face masks to the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Bisola Ahmed for onward distribution to SS3 students, Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Kwara State Technical Committee on COVID-19, Kayode Alabi said, “This is the first phase as we are also giving out sanitizers while the ministry of education, working with the committee and stakeholders in the sector, has been mandated to ensure that safety rules are adhered to.”

Plateau

Our correspondent who went round some public and private schools alike observed that there were no sign of hand washing materials at the entrances of schools just as the security men had no thermometers to check people’s temperature.

It was gathered that the schools had been asked to provide all the necessary equipment for themselves, as the authorities vowed to go round the schools to ensure compliance with the measures.

A teacher with Government Secondary School in Tudun Wada, Jos, who preferred anonymity said they were told that COVID-19 materials would not be immediately available due to lack of funds.

‘I always top my class despite being blind’

Lucky using his computer with the aid of JAWS

Lucky Pastor lost his sight at age 12, but that didn’t stop him from achieving his set goals. He completed his secondary school education in a public school as the only blind student in a class of 200 sighted children and emerged the best.

In the university, he was also the only blind student in his class but still emerged as the second-best student. Lucky, who never allowed his situation to deter him from achieving his goals, shares his experience and how he hopes to be successful in life. Excerpts:

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Daily Trust: What was your experience like in school with the sighted?

Lucky Pastor: Determination! First, I enrolled for a rehabilitation programme in the FCT School for the Blind Children. There, I had all the attention I needed because we were only three in my class. If I wasn’t getting it right, my instructor would put me through. By the time I finished from there, I was ready to mingle with the sighted world and I continued school at the Government Secondary School (GSS) Kwali.

While there, I was in the art class and we were over 200 in the class. Nobody had my time; I had to do extra work to be able to fit in. I was determined, and I graduated as the best student.

I gained admission to study English Education at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). Going to a public school wasn’t easy. I stayed in a hostel and shared the same toilet with everyone else. When there was water scarcity, I would rush alongside others to fetch water, sometimes when I want to use the toilet, everywhere would be messed up and I would just have to manoeuvre, to do my thing and leave. Sometimes, I would find myself in a gutter because the drainage system was very poor. During lectures, at times, classes would be filled to the brim and I would have to stand outside to listen to the lecturer but in all, God kept me and determination propelled me.

In my class, I was the only visually impaired person. In my first year, people saw me as “that boy who needs help”, but from my 200 Level onwards, “they were running to me for help”. Interestingly, I taught my colleagues. This was possible for me because I already knew that I do not have sight, so, I needed to be extraordinary and do twice as much as they could. By God’s grace, I graduated in 2019 as the second-best student.

DT: How did you study and write exams in school?

Lucky: In the university, when a lecturer comes to the class, sometimes they give hardcopy materials, and at other times they send a soft copy. With no special preference given to me, I was not discouraged. I told myself that I would not use ‘braille’ meant for the blind. I began to use an application that Visually Impaired Persons read with; it is called JAWS, which means Jobs Access with Speech. With this program, you have a narrator that reads everything you have on your screen. I read my handouts and textbooks with it when handouts are given in hard copy, I would have to scan first and copy to my laptop, which turns it to a soft copy for me to be able to read. I can also browse, fill forms, and do anything online.

During an examination, some lecturers permit the visually impaired to use their laptops, while others do not permit probably because they feel the VIP will use some shortcuts to cheat during exams. In my case, I decided not to use my laptop. I do not like people doubting my ability. If I had used my laptop during exams in the university, they may think I made my As through short cuts in my laptop. I made use of a manual typewriter all through my university days to write my exams. While others wrote with their pen, I typed on my typewriter.

DT: Is there any difference in how you perceived the world when you were a child and now?

Lucky: If I were to judge the world by what I saw back then, I would not have much to say about the world. However, if I am to judge the world by what I can see with my inner eyes right now, I would say, I know life is not a bed of roses, you have to keep pushing. For me, the world is an imbalanced sphere where you just have to live right. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, but I have a strong conviction that I would break through all these obstacles; I will be a great man even though I don’t know how, when or where.

DT: What were some of your frustrations at some moments?

Lucky: When I go to church and everybody takes turns to read Bible verses, I would be skipped because I’m blind. I kept asking myself, ‘how do I get included’? I trained myself on how to read from my laptop with the JAWS program and I got included in the Bible reading session. My frustrations turned to fulfilment.

DT: What are your aspirations?

Lucky: I passionately desire to be a lecturer. Since I am based in Abuja, I hope to lecture at the University of Abuja. Secondly, I hope to train Visually Impaired Persons on how to read from a computer so they can be included in the society, even if they want to be broadcasters, lack of sight wouldn’t be a limitation.

I live for people; to put a smile on faces and to impact lives. I understand that apart from being blind, deaf or crippled, there are myriads of challenges people face. I run a program on Facebook titled ‘Braving the Storm’. I write episodes when the inspiration comes so others can get inspired.

DT: What lessons have you learnt from being visually impaired?

Lucky: One striking experience I have learnt from being blind is ‘Focus’. This might sound contradictory but I can give you an example. When I was in school, I had a female friend and we go to the market together. Before going to the market, we write a list of items to buy. But when we get to the market, other items not on our list will always attract my friend. She would ask for prices of at least three stuff before we commence shopping. I kept telling her ‘Ada be focused’! I don’t get distracted but Ada does because she can see. I tell her, ‘Eyes are distractions’. Blindness has taught me to be focused even in the face of challenges because I know there is a goal to be achieved. I have also learnt not to put blames on my visual impairment; I don’t let people pity me if I try something and fail. It’s not because I can’t see, it simply because I don’t know how to do it. I always advise everyone to face difficulties as they come, enjoy the good times as they come, and be good to people

Gov. Dapo Abiodun cancels 3rd term as schools reopen on Tuesday

The Ogun state government has cancelled 3rd term for primary and post primary schools in the State while adding that the schools that have complied with the safety measures put in place to curtail the spread of covid-19 will open on Tuesday 4th August, 2020

Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said this while addressing newsmen on the efforts made so far to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the State held at Oke mosan, Abeokuta.

The state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, announced the reopening on Wednesday, when he addressed a press conference at his Oke-Mosan office.

Governor Abiodun said the school reopening, which takes effect on August 4 is for students in SSS3 classes.

 

Abiodun also announced automatic promotions for students in all classes.

He said worship centres will reopen on August 14, with strict adherence to specified guidelines.

The governor also reiterated that weekend lockdown will continue till August 14 when churches and mosques are expected to open for worshippers.

Meanwhile, congregational prayer will not be allowed during the Eid-el-Kabir, as the governor advised Muslim faithful to avoid large gatherings and observe social distancing while they celebrate Sallah

2020 NECO exams start Oct 5, says FG

The Federal Government on Wednesday says this year ’ s Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations for SSS 3 pupils organised by the National Examination Council will start October 5 and end November 18.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education , Ben Goong .

In the statement titled , ‘ FG Rolls Out Schedule For National Examination’ , the ministry also said the National Business and Technical Examination Board examination would commence effective September 21 through October 15.

“ Registration for NECO ( SSCE) which is ongoing will end on the 10th of September 2020 and there shall be no extension for registration whatsoever, ” the statement noted .

The PUNCH had earlier reported that FG announced on Monday that this year ’ s West African Senior School Certificate Examination would commence on August 17.

Details later …

WASSCE: Students optimistic as teachers, parents fear mass failure

Time too short for preparation — Teachers FG to domesticate timetable We’re ready – Private schools Nigeria not ready to reopen schools — NMA   Graduating students in secondary schools across the country yesterday expressed joy over the reopening of schools for them to write their final year examinations. 

Many of those interviewed said they were tired of staying at home and saw the reopening of schools as a glad tiding. 

Officials of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) said they have registered 1, 549, 463 candidates from 19, 129 schools to write the West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria. But teachers and some parents expressed mixed feelings with some of them predicting mass failure considering that their students and children have been at home due to coronavirus. 

They said the students missed “precious months” at home and that with the exception of few, the students did not use the opportunity to read ahead of the exams. 

Health experts also expressed worry that asking students back to school could be a recipe for further spread of coronavirus. 

The federal government said yesterday that all secondary schools in the country will resume academic activities for final year students on August 4, 2020. 

A statement by the spokesperson of the ministry, Ben Goong, said: “Students will have two weeks within which to prepare for the West African Examinations (WAEC) due to start on the 17th of August, 2020. 

“These were the unanimous decisions reached today (yesterday) at a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Honourable Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools, and Chief Executives of examination bodies 

“The meeting also resolved that a passionate appeal be made to the federal government through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and public spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them fast track the preparations for safe reopening, as agreed. 

“Another meeting is to be convened tomorrow between the Federal Ministry of Education and Chief Executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS to harmonise their examination dates, which will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education,” the statement said. 

Yesterday’s decision was a new twist to earlier comments by government officials. The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, had last week said they would opt for the GCE since the WASSCE cannot be rescheduled for any reason. 

He stated this during the bi-weekly Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19. We’ll pass our exams Abbas Musa Abubakar, an SSS 3 student at Hayatul Islam Private School, Jos, said he was happy that schools would resume. 

He said, “We are not reading at home since the closure of schools because friends and other activities at home won’t allow you to read.

Besides, we don’t have someone to serve as a teacher.  Now that the school is resuming, we believe we can catch up with what we have missed,” he said. In Lagos, an SSS 3 student, Mariam Musa, expressed joy over the development, saying it will enable her to conclude her secondary education and forge ahead without any delay. 

A student of community secondary school Oyigbo, Rivers State, Chidinma  Nweke, said “I am happy that we are going back to school, but I want to appeal to the federal government to give us a little time to enable us recover some of our lost time and prepare for the exams.” Another student, John Ikechukwu, said, “We have been at home since March and this has affected our studies. I would like to commend the federal government for reopening schools.” 

In Kaduna, Shimi Jatau of Anchor College said the announcement was too sudden. “I am indifferent about it because it is too sudden. I mean, we should have been told this earlier or given more time to prepare our minds. But at the same time, I am okay with the idea of resuming August 4th because we will be moving forward and not staying at home doing nothing. Abubakar Ahmad Musa of Command Secondary School, Kaduna, said he had prepared for his final examination. 

“I am ready because I can’t wait to complete my secondary. Already, we have a WhatsApp group where we discuss various topics with my classmates during the lockdown,” he said. Time too short to make students ready A Senior Secondary School English teacher with Capville Schools, Abuja, Hassan Taiye Ibrahim, said two weeks would not be enough to get the students prepared for examinations. “Many of the students saw the COVID-19 lockdown as a prolonged holiday and it is now that they will start scraping to read up. 

Only a few of them are prepared for the exams,” he said. Hassan Sani, a teacher  in Kano, Michael Yusuf who teaches mathematics in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, and Yafati Babagana, a guidance and counselling official in Maiduguri, said they feared mass failure if the WASSCE is held in the next two weeks. “The students missed a whole term and I don’t think it is possible for them to recover in two weeks,” Sani said. “I pray our students pass but there is no magic in writing exams…If you know, you know,” he said. Yafati on her part said students would require a lot of mentoring to succeed. “We know how difficult it is but I want to suggest that governments at all levels provide opportunities for extra lessons for the students in order to cope,” she said. Also, the CEO of the Voyage International School, Abuja, Yussuff Oriyomi, said many students have not been reading but watching television at home and would therefore require more time to get back to their books. 

A parent in Lagos who gave his name as Mr Matthew, and whose child is in SSS 3, said he would not take the government seriously any longer on the issue of school reopening until its pronouncement becomes a reality. “Was it not the same government that announced earlier that schools would be opened for exams and abruptly rescinded its decision? 

So, I won’t be surprised if the government before August 4 said it has cancelled its plan to reopen schools for examinations,” he said. Why we support school resumption The Secretary General of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Dr. Mike Ene who was part of the meeting where a decision was reached yesterday, said they agreed to the resumption of schools after getting reports from state governments.

 “Following the assurances we got, we have to concur…Some commissioners said they are 80 percent ready and that even NCDC has given them certificates of readiness,” he said. He said most of the schools had finished their mock examinations adding, “What they need to do is little revisions and enter the exam hall.” He noted that the idea of starting from 4th was to have two weeks to do revisions. “Ordinarily, one month would have been better so that everything will fall into place, but everybody  including the teachers, students, parents, government and stakeholders have to make sacrifices because if we miss August, we will have to wait until November. 

“Already Ghana has started its WAEC, so the only time you can take all the four papers that the four regions will take is to start from 17th of August; after August the next one will be in November/December and if Nigeria is to go for that, parents would pay again. “So, having looked at all the options, we see that August is the time so that we will not interrupt the entire school calendar,” he added.

 Private schools applaud decision The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in its reaction appreciated the federal and state governments for their resolve to reopen schools to allow students in the country prepare for their WASSCE.

 The National President of the Association, Chief Yomi Otubela, said it was cheering news for students, parents, teachers, school owners and other stakeholders who had shown concerns over the initial suspension of the examination. He assured that NAPPS was fully ready to ensure that proprietors took safety as a priority in schools. “We shall use the opportunity of this resumption to assess the workability of safety protocols that are in place in schools and hope that we can use the success of it to ensure other students fully resume as soon as possible,” he said. Our plans in Nigeria The federal government said yesterday that WASSCE subject’s peculiar to Nigerian candidates would be taken from September 5 through September 14, 2020. 

The Minister of State Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said this while answering questions at the 53rd joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19. According to him, the exams for subjects common to all English speaking West Africa countries, (Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia) will however, proceed as previously published on August 17. 

He said, “This varies the timetable we agitated earlier by as much as two weeks. What the agreement entails is WAEC West Africa and all the countries that are in it have agreed that the exams should proceed, but the exams peculiar to Nigeria will be taken from September 5 through to September 14.” He added that Nigeria will work out an arrangement to domesticate its own timetable for the exams. 

The minister said, “The exams that are common to all the countries of West Africa will proceed as previously published on August 17. 

This today was accepted by every state in Nigeria and endorsed by the Presidential Task Force today at our meeting. Revision classes begin from today (Monday).” He said that this is to ensure that exiting SS3 students will have two weeks to prepare for the WASSCE examinations. Too early to put students in class The President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Innocent Ujah, said Nigeria was not ready to reopen schools because of the poor level of compliance to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines against COVID-19. He said it was not that medical experts do not want Nigerian children to be educated, but that it was important to note that only those who were alive could go to school and be educated. 

He said the reason the government was reopening schools was because of the pressure from teachers, proprietors and parents. He said parents who were insisting that their children must write examinations have also not factored the fact that their children could be infected with the virus. Prof. Ujah said Nigeria should note that South Africa re-opened schools and many students got infected, forcing authorities to reverse the decision. 

He said the federal government should have checked that all requirements for COVID-19 prevention were met before reopening schools. 

He said people were also supposed to be trained on ensuring student’s compliance to use of face masks, social distancing and also carry out daily temperature checks on students. “The NMA feels the pressure put by parents on the federal government to reopen schools should be noted so that if there are issues, they shouldn’t blame the government,” Prof. Ujah said. 

Source: daily trust

BREAKING: Schools to reopen August 4 for final year pupils, WAEC holds August 17th— FG

Federal Government has said Secondary schools in the country will reopen on August 4, 2020, for pupils in exit classes to sit for their examination.

The government said students will have two weeks to prepare for the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination organised by the West Africa Examination Council.

WAEC exams, the government said will commence on 17th of August, 2020.

The government announced the decision at the end of a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT), the proprietors of private schools, and Chief Executives of examination bodies.

In a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, FMoE, Ben Goong, said “stakeholders at the meeting agreed that the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break, from the 4th of August, 2020 to enable them to prepare for the WAEC examinations scheduled to commence from the 17th of August, 2020.

“The meeting also resolved that a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and public-spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them fast track the preparations of safe reopening, as agreed.

“Another meeting is to be convened tomorrow between the Federal Ministry of Education and Chief Executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS to harmonise their examination dates, which will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education.”

Lagos schools resume August 4

South-West states may write WASSCE in September

In accordance with the decision of state governors in the South-West geopolitical zone to reopen schools, primary and secondary schools in Lagos State are set to reopen on August 3, this year.

However, only learners in primary six, junior secondary school 3, and senior secondary school 3 are to resume.

This, it was gathered, followed a meeting held on Thursday in Ikeja with some stakeholders in the sector by officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

During the meeting, the Department of Quality Assurance in the ministry mandated all schools, whether public or private to fill an online assessment form, stating their preparedness to meet conditions stipulated for school reopening by the Federal Ministry of Education.

Each school will later be issued clearance for it to reopen.

Speaking on the development, the Lagos State President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Chief Olawale Amusa, said his association had also set up a Quality Assurance Committee to go round schools and assess the readiness of members.

He expressed optimism that most of his members would meet the requirements for reopening schools.

Also, despite the discordant tunes that have greeted the conduct of this year’s WASSCE by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, South-West states are working on the possibility of partaking in the exam come September.

The decision by the states to partake in the exam is hinged on the need to allow final year secondary school students to be apart of this year’s admission into tertiary Institutions.

Recall that only on Thursday, the Minister of State, Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said if the Federal Government could not meet up with WAEC’s timeline of conducting WASSCE in September, Nigerian candidates could take the exam in November/ December this year.

COVID-19: FG mulls alternatives on WAEC, schools re-opening

WAEC urges FG to introduce E-Learning

The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja said that final year secondary school students may have to sit for the General Certificate Examinations (GCE) in November if there is no shift in the timetable of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

The Minister of State Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, while answering questions at the 52nd joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

This is as he said that the government would meet with stakeholders again on July 30, next week Thursday to review the guidelines, provisions and preparation for safe reopening of schools.

According to him, sitting for the GCE may become the only option for Nigerian students if the country cannot convince WAEC to shift its examinations as requested for by the Federal Government.

“Should Nigeria be able to meet up with the WAEC timetable, there was already a negotiated timeline to move local language subjects such as Ibo, Yoruba and Hausa behind to allow all participating countries the needed time to write the general subjects at the same time.

“WAEC unfortunately, is unable to wholesomely move the exams but we have also worked out a negotiated time line with WAEC on what we call peculiar Nigerian subjects which in the language of WAEC are subjects that are only held in Nigeria such as Ibo, Hausa and Yoruba.

“The Ghanaians will take examinations peculiar to them. But they are all in the first part of the time table so we will work out a domestication module that will take our peculiar subjects behind after we have done generals,” Nwajiuba said.

When asked to comment on the Oyo State Government cancelling third term, the minister said that the education is on concurrent list and that while the states are expected to work together on common front, especially on the COVID-19 crisis, the states were at liberty to evolve some measures on their own.

COVID19: See countries that have reopened schools.

Nigeria has closed down schools amidst the coronavirus pendemic since March, but before the closure, government owned university students have been at home for months due to university teachers union's strike.

Other countries of the world also closed down schools as a way of breaking the chain of coronavirus transmission.

Four months after, the virus is still spreading like wild fire having infected about 40,000 Nigerians with about 1000 fatalities, that's the official figure, unofficial figure could be higher.

What the government of Nigeria doesn't want you to know as they continue to keep schools closed is that most of the countries of the world have reopened schools without any major escalations.

The government doesn't want you to know that highly populated countries such INDONESIA and CHINA have safely reopened schools for in-person classes, in one way or the other, while INDIA has announced date for reopening, some states like Maharashtra have partially reopened.

JAPAN, ISRAEL, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA and the whole of EUROPEAN UNION'S 28 COUNTRIES have reopened schools, one may be poised to ask if Nigerian's coronavirus is different from that of these countries that have re-opened schools?

Japan reopened in early June, Israel reopened fully in late June, Australia reopened in April, New Zealand in May and South Africa reopened early this month.

Also, non E.U European continent countries such as SERBIA, ALBANIA, BOSNIA, GEORGIA and ICELAND have all re-opened schools.

In Africa, GHANA, TANZANIA, CAMEROON, SEYCHELLES, NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, BENIN TOGO, SENEGAL, UGANDA, WESTERN SAHARA, ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE, ZAMBIA, COTE D' IVORE and 15 other countries have reopened schools, again I ask, is there something the government of Nigeria knows about coronavirus that these other countries doesn't know? Today Ghana is writing the West African Senior secondary school examination (WASSCE) earlier than Nigeria, just as they got independence earlier than Nigeria, must Ghana always be ahead of Nigeria?

In NICARAGUA, CAMBODIA, BELARUS, U.A.E, NORTH KOREA, VIETNAM, TAIWAN COLOMBIA and CHILE, children are all going to school and the case has not skyrocketed more than those of the countries where school have remained shutdown.

SOUTH KOREA, U.K, WESTERN SAMOA, SOLOMON ISLANDS and many other countries have reopened schools each according to their approved best health practises.

More than half of the world countries have reopened schools and two third of those that have not reopened have given a tentative date for reopening. Why is Nigerian's own different?

Schools are part of the economy of a nation, teachers are paid, tailors are paid, carpenters are paid, masons and labourers are paid, gatemen and drivers are paid, shoe sellers are patronized, food vendors are patronized, book sellers are patronized, Knitters, Cardigan Knitters are patronized, school bag sellers are patronized, school bus licenses are paid, taxes are paid to local governments, multiple taxes are paid to state and central government, loans are serviced and families are fed and catered for, continuous closure of schools nationwide is taking a toll on a whole lot of people. To worsen it all, Coronavirus hasn't given a date when it will disappear from the surface of the earth.

Parents, through National parents teachers association (NPTA) wants schools reopened, so that they can conclude the training and sponsoring of their kids on time, no one can train his or her children from the grave, as death has no date. Some female children are getting pregnant at home, others are marrying. Male children are becoming deliquent and many will dropout, time, they say is money and early to bed early to rise, a stitch in time saves nine.

School owners wants schools opened, they say they are fully prepared for reopening, I think the government responsibility is to monitor those private schools and close down any one of them that fails to obey the protocols.

It's only those collecting free money, collecting salaries without working such as national Union of teachers (NUT), academic staff Union of universities (ASUU), academic staff Union of polytechnic (ASUP) and academic staff Union of colleges of educations (ASUCOE) that wants schools to remain shut, because they are still being paid, they wouldn't mind if schools remain shut down for the next 35 years of their service, provided their salaries keep coming. Owe them for just three months and they will start to dance and sing a different tone, infact it's high time Nigeria started implementing no work no pay so as to curtail the excesses of some these union who use slightest flimsy excuse to sit at home while getting paid.

Why are the schools still closed? Has the closure brought the virus under control five months after? Are we more knowledgeable than those countries that have reopened schools? Schools in US are opening at the beginning of the school year, everybody knows that it is the right thing to do, those opposed to it are only seeking to score political goals.

Coronavirus has come to stay, we must all collectively learn to live with it and fight through it instead of running away from it.

Are we fighting Americans war on Nigerian soil? Are we fighting a global pendemic in the classrooms? Or is this a well calculated attempt to cover up failures in government versus  ASUU negotiations?

Oyo State Release Calendar for Schools Resumption And Examination For Terminal Classes

Press Release

Oyo State Calendar for Schools Resumption And Examination For Terminal Classes

The Oyo State Executive Council at its meeting today 21st of July 2020 has approved the academic calendar to guide resumption of schools and other associated educational activities in the State.

According to the approved calendar, Third Term 2019/2020 session has been cancelled and promotion of students, for all affected classes, will now be determined by First and Second Term Continuous Assessment.

Pry 6, JSS 3 and SSS 3 will proceed on holiday from 30th of July and resume for their Examination as follows;

Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE)- 10th to 18th August 2020

Competitive Entrance Examination into the Schools of Science- 19th August 2020

Placement/Screening Test to JSS1- 20th August 2020

Placement Test into Technical Colleges- 28th August 2020

The SSS 3 will resume for their Examination as soon as WAEC announce the date.

The 2020/21 academic session, according to the calendar approved by the State Council is as follows;

First Term- 21th September to 18th December 2020

Second Term- 11th January to 9th April 2021

Third Term- 3rd May to 30th July 2021

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology enjoins all stakeholders and members of the public to take note of the details of the academic calendar.

Signed

Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology

Govt alone can’t revamp basic education infrastructure – FG

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, has said the state of dilapidation of basic education infrastructure across the country is embarrassing, but that the Federal Government cannot handle it alone.

Nwajiuba said this while presenting the Royal Icon of Hope for Nigerian Children award to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, in his palace on Tuesday.

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He said there was, therefore, the need for the private sector to get involved.

Represented by his Special Assistant on Projects, Engr. Adewale Adenaike, the minister said to promptly tackle defects of infrastructure, the Rapid Repair Report Project under Project Naija, Foundation Trust was initiated.

He explained the mode of operation of the project, saying “If there is a roof leakage in a classroom, for instance, it will be reported on our website and the person that reported the problem will be the one to execute the project using local artisans after we obtain the estimate of its cost.”

The minister further said the award was in recognition of the emir’s immeasurable support for education and for him to be in the driver’s seat to achieve the objective of the project.

Adeboye unveils handwashing machines for schools

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has unveiled integrated handwashing and sanitiser dispensing machine for use by schools as they prepare for resumption as directed by the Federal Government.

Adeboye urged the schools to cooperate with the government and make an adequate provision for preventive measures against COVID-19.

The cleric unveiled the machine fabricated by the Redeemer’s College of Technology and Management at the Redemption Camp, Mowe, Ogun State, saying it was in preparation for the much-anticipated resumption of schools in the country.

He noted that he looked forward to the resumption of academic activities in the country.

He said, “The machine which was fabricated as a measure to check the spread of the coronavirus in preparation for the reopening of schools has  features which include leg pedal designed to dispense soap, water and hand sanitiser; it has a water storage tank and also has a tissue paper holding device.”

Addressing newsmen after the unveiling, the RECTEM Rector, Dr Stella Mofunanya, remarked that the college which had embarked on e-learning following the closure of schools occasioned by the spread of the pandemic, deployed the fabricated machines to all entrances to students’ halls of residence.

“Others are lecture halls, laboratories, workshops among others. Adequate preparation for resumption has also been made with the production of customised nose masks, face shields in large quantity and the World Health Organisation-recommended alcohol-based hand sanitisers which would be distributed to the students and staff on resumption,” she said.

Mofunanya assured the fumigation of the halls of residence, classes, laboratories and offices prior to reopening.

WASSCE: FG, WAEC agree to shift examination date (see press release)

The Federal Government and West African Examination Council (WAEC) have agreed to shift the date of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from the August 4 to September 5, 2020, earlier announced.

Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who disclosed this on Friday in Abuja, said this was the outcome of a meeting between the Federal Government and officials of WAEC’s Nigeria office on Monday and that both parties have agreed to further consult with four other countries on new examination date.

The minister also said government has given school owners in the country till July 29, 2020 to meet specific guidelines towards the reopening of schools at a date to be announced in due course.

He said the Ministry of Education, having consulted widely, has in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Education in Emergencies Working Group, developed and circulated guidelines for the reopening of schools.

The Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Bem Goong, in a statement quoted the minister as saying that the school owners were to prepare and comply with the guidelines.

Nwajiuba urged the schools to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state Ministries of Education, not later than July 29, 2020.

“Thereafter, consultations with relevant stakeholders will be held to review the situation and decide on a specific date for reopening or otherwise,” he said.

Nwajiuba further noted that having taken the painful but necessary decision not to reopen schools without necessary preparations to ensure the safety of students and teachers, the Federal Ministry of Education has continued consultations with stakeholders, adding that a mechanism to assess and monitor compliance shall be put in place.

“We have consulted widely with stakeholders in the sector, including Commissioners of Education in all the states of the federation, the Association of Private School Owners of Nigeria,(APSON), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools,(NAPPS), Provosts of Colleges of Education, Rectors of Polytechnics, Vice-Chancellors of Universities, some State Governors, and development partners.

“On WAEC, we met with WAEC on Monday and have agreed to further consult with four other countries on new examination date.

“We appreciate the concern shown by all stakeholders and note the divergent views expressed on the matter.

“Parents should be rest assured that the safety of our students and teachers is paramount as we work assiduously towards the speedy reopening of our schools for the exit classes to take external examinations,” the minister said.

Why we choose to reopen schools – Oyetola’s SA on Education

Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s Special Adviser on Education, Jamiu Olawumi on Wednesday revealed that the state government could reopen schools any time soon.

Jamiu disclosed this after a virtual meeting by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria known as the DAWN Commission, in collaboration with the forum of South-West Education Commissioners, Special Advisers on Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board.

He said the meeting was convened following realisation that the COVID-19 pandemic might not go anytime soon.

Reports that Six South-West states are ready to reopen schools for students, to sit for the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

“We have been doing our job. On Monday the Federal Ministry of Information sent us guidelines for reopening of schools. we’ve fulfilled it; even without anybody prompting us. Osun is up to the task.” Jamiu told newsmen.

According to him, the Osun State submission at the meeting was gathered through information and was data-driven.

He said that the state ministry of education is awaiting the Governor’s approval to give a date on resumption.

“We are pulling together all the stakeholders within the education sector, to let them understand our policy on reopening of schools, and as soon, we collate our papers, we shall present to the governor for approval.

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“We want to assure the people of the state that the Governor will not act outside what is in their best interest. So, we have done our due diligence, and before now, we have been teaching our students – within the syllabus and they are ready to write the exam any day.

“So the issue of the day of reopening is not the issue, but the issue is when are we going to reopen – which I know the Governor will accommodate other interests including WAEC, NECO and all other examination bodies.

“Osun is up to the task. We have realised here that COVID-19 is a pandemic that will not go in a hurry. Hence, we have been doing our job.

“We have three exams around the corner, WAEC and BECE JSS3 which is an internal examination that only the government of the state can organise and conduct and the Primary 6 examination. All these are examinations conducted by the state ministry of Education. He added.

Ebonyi to reopen schools in August

Ebonyi state government says schools will reopen in the state between August and September.

The State Governor, David Umahi, stated this during the virtual Executive Council Meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.

He said the reopening of schools will be done in phases.

He said: “The public should note that Ebonyi State will reopen her schools immediately, not in the month of July, we have to start the process that will lead us probably to reopen our schools between August and September.”

“And the process will be, the king David academy will be starting first, I am directing that all the coordinators, the chairmen of all the 13 LGAs, traditional rulers, town union presidents, should use local people to clear all the secondary schools, primarily schools. They should clear that, it has been happening before, everything is not government.”

“So let us get them cleared when we do that I want Commissioner for Education, SSA Higher education, to note very specially that this is the time to develop e-syllables, starting with the teachers, this is the opportunity to develop e- learning that we have been talking about,” he added.

The Governor said the government will train the teachers and students on COVID-19 protocols before the schools resume adding that the teachers will also undergo COVID-19 tests.

“Reopening of schools will start with cleaning of the schools, and every school we clean, we will fumigate it, and then do random test on the teachers. We will also deploy health workers to mount awareness within the communities where the school is situated.”

“When school start we will have trained personnel to teach the children on Covid-19 protocols at least for the first one week.

“This covid is real and we need to be very careful. It is not just to start school and all that, even if Nigerians should miss one academic year and stay alive, it is worth it. The essence of everything we are doing is life, and we wouldn’t want our children to start school without proper awareness.”

COVID-19: Ogun govt speaks on school reopening

The Government of Ogun State said it had set up a committee to look into the possibility of reopening schools in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.

The committee will work in collaboration with the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and the Federal Ministry of Education.

The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said this on Tuesday while addressing newsmen after assessing the COVID-19 compliance level of an amusement park in Ibafo area of the state.

Salako-Oyedele, however, maintained that schools, religious and tourism centres among others, will remain closed until government’s further directives.

“Governor Dapo Abiodun has set up a committee to work in collaboration with the Presidential Taskforce and the Federal Ministry of Education to look into the reopening of schools in compliance with Coronavirus safety measures,” she said.

The Deputy Governor urged stakeholders affected by the ban to begin to put COVID-19 related measures in place while awaiting the state government’s response.

Speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said the government will not let its guard down on containing the spread of Coronavirus in the state, saying it has stepped up measures on ensuring quality healthcare system.

However, no date has been given for school resumption

WASSCE: We can’t decide for private, state schools – FG

The Federal Government of Nigeria says it cannot decide for state and private schools on whether or not to participate in the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, clarified this in Abuja on Monday during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had, last Wednesday, said schools would remain closed until it was certified that the situation was safe, emphasising that this was not the right time to open schools.

He had also said the government would not mind forfeiting the WASSCE earlier scheduled to begin on August 4 to save the lives of students.

But Nwajuiba said on Monday that there was no policy somersault on the government’s decision to stop students in the 104 unity schools nationwide  from writing this year’s WASSCE.

“The PTF never said here that they were reopening any school.

“They only provided that assurance and that guidance.

“After FEC on Wednesday, Malam Adamu Adamu, advised the public that based on information that the PTF and NCDC has proffered, that the unity colleges, because those are only 104 out of 19,129 schools that he will not agree and in fact, it is not advisable.

“He (Adamu) went further to advise that we do not open those institutions for the use of exams.

“And that perhaps he advised since it was WAEC that proposed those dates, we’ll be engaging WAEC to reconsider the dates.

“However, he (Adamu) said he is not in charge of private schools and schools that fall under the concurrent list and therefore, devolve to sub-nationals who can take a decision as to what will happen to their state-owned schools and whether they can participate or not.”

Asked if he meant only unity schools were exempted from writing the WASSCE, Nwajuiba said: “For clarity, Malam (Adamu) said, the 104 schools are not available.

“He does not have control over the governors; it’ll be unconstitutional to say he can tell the governors what to do.

“You’ve heard from the PTF chairman consistently that we try to marry what we do with the governors’ forum.

“What we do at the PTF is to have a national response.

“So, the governors may look at the data which we also have.

“It appears to me that they understand the same things we’re doing, but we do not want to impose anything on them.”

FG has agreed to pay salaries of private school teachers owed during the lockdown- Private School owners association president, Yomi Otubela says

 

The President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Yomi Otubela, says the Federal government has agreed to pay the salaries of private school teachers that are being owed by their school management since the lockdown started in March.

A number of private school teachers have come out to cry for help as they have not been paid by their management since March when schools were shut down due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The school management insists they cannot pay salaries since they have also not made money by way of school fees.

Speaking on TVC on Monday morning, July 13, Otubela said the association forwarded a proposal to the Economic Sustainability Committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, for the government to pay the salaries of the private school owners and that an approval has been granted to the proposal by the Federal Executive Council.

 

”We have written to the Federal government to understand that these teachers are teaching Nigerian children and that they need to keep them and their families together during the lockdown. 

So the Federal government has listened to our request. We requested that the teachers salaries in private schools should be taken over by the government during the months of the lockdown. We also requested for a single digit loan for private schools to cushion the effect of the COVID19. We requested for support for schools that have existing loans, that they (FG) should liase on our behalf with the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN and CBN will liase with commercial banks and other financial institutions to ensure that they give them soft landing in terms of moratorium to repay and deduction in the interest loan. 

The Federal government has approved that they will take over the payment of teachers salaries.

The proposal was sent to the Economic Sustainability Committee headed by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and it was approved by the Federal Executive Council.

We are already talking to them to know the modalities for the disbursement”.

He however pointed out that it is only private schools registered under its association that will benefit from the Federal government’s bailout.

Private school owners, parents differ on online teaching public school in Lagos

With the shutdown of public and private educational institutions across the country, as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), students have been away from schools since March. And they may likely remain in their homes furthermore based on the recent government decision to suspend its earlier announced July 13, 2020 for the reopening of schools for students in Basic 6, JSS 3 and SSS 3.

Aside this, the government also suspended Nigerian schools from writing this year’s West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination scheduled to run from August 4 to September 5, insisting schools will not reopen until the COVID-19 pandemic drastically subsides in the country.

Owing to this, all Nigerian students are now in forced holidays pending when the ‘almighty’ COVID-19 will leave its shores or be averted. As the forced holiday continues, owners of private schools in Lagos State, especially primary and secondary, their teachers, and those that provide ancillary services to the schools have been finding it tough to make ends meet.

Consequently, many private schools have devised ways of engaging their pupils through various social media platforms, including Whatsapp, Facebook, Zoom, Chat, as well as through e-mails, where they now send instructional materials and get feedback.

Since the commencement of online learning in some schools, some parents are appreciative of the stopgap measure, while others say the initiative is far from what they described as ‘the real teaching,’ as it is plagued by complaints, ranging from poor network connectivity, epileptic power supply, data challenges, to poor handling of devices by their wards, among others.

As if these do not constitute enough worries for affected parents, some private schools have, contrary to the warnings by the Lagos State government, begun demanding for part payment of third term school fees, despite its non-commencement. Those that are not asking for part payment of school fees are, all the same, asking parents to pay for their services, hinging their demands on the fact that teachers have to be paid for the services they are rendering, in addition to the data, and other services, which are all part of the mix.

While some schools are charging as much as N175, 000 monthly (depending on the class and location) for these services, others charge fees ranging from N100, 000 to N50, 000; N20, 000; N15, 000 and N10,000 monthly, respectively.

However, some parents are peeved that schools are being unreasonable with their charges not minding the austere period that the entire country is into.

A school proprietor, who simply gave his name as Babatope, confirmed that the disparity in fees charged for these online lessons might be as a result of the school’s location and class, adding that for most school owners, such funds would come in handy for the payment of teachers’ salary for the period of schools’ closure since third term resumption has now been postponed until further notice.

Babatope revealed that most private schools are using the online medium to teach some topics that they could not teach before the abrupt end to the second term, while those that were preparing for examination are now beginning to teach new topics having finished with revision exercises.

According to him, this is advantageous because it would keep pupils abreast of topics that they would treat upon resumption for the new term.

“Some school owners have continued to incur costs during this period, including paying their teachers and other members of staff that combine efforts to execute online teaching. The school equally makes available computer sets for teachers’ use, aside data purchased to prepare the lessons. So, we expect parents, who are opposed to the payments to please reason with us too, and pay the agreed charges for their children’s online lessons.

For the proprietress of Sejing Schools, Oshodi, Celina Unuegbu, depending on funds from online learning to pay teachers is a very challenging exercise because not all pupils are participating in the programme. She said that school owners need to treat their teachers well at this time; provide the necessary palliatives, including salaries for them to put in their best.

Unegbu, who implored school owners to draw from their savings to pay their teacher explained that she borrowed to pay teachers and other staff members from March to May, so that, they would continue to do their best during the period.

“Does it mean school owners do not have savings or cannot draw from their past profits? Running a school is also a form of business, and proprietors should stop deceiving teachers that they do not have money to pay salaries, no matter how little,” she noted.

Emeka Ikedu, a science teacher in an Ikeja-based school, said COVID-19 has opened a new way of survival for him, as he had to resort to taking students on private lessons since his school could not pay him and his colleagues before schools were shut by the government.

According to Ikedu, to survive the hardship created, he has to depend on home teaching, going from house-to-house of some of his students and others outside the circle to teach.

Ikedu is not alone as far as private home lessons are concerned. Thousands of his colleagues are equally engaged in it across the state. While these online lessons go on, Dansuki Mantu, whose kids are in Senior Secondary School (SSS), and in the Junior Secondary School (JSS) III, thinks the exercise as a scam, alleging that it is a calculated attempt by school owners to extort parents, especially considering the number of subjects taught via the channels.

Insisting that the process does not allow for effective teacher-pupil interaction, he queried if such a process could adequately prepare pupils for external examinations, as feedbacks seldom come, and when they do, they come late. He further alleged that he spends N3, 000 to N9, 000 on data weekly, apart from fueling the power generating set and forgoing his pleasure to help in solving some of the assignments sent to his children.

Another parent, Omolara Salami, claimed that the process is inflicting more pains on parents, who are currently finding it difficult to make ends meet, especially with the introduction of the monthly payment for the online teaching. She appealed to schools to, for once, make online lessons free.

To worsen issues, the pupils (both primary and secondary) were mandated to buy laptop computer sets, tablets or notebooks, and also pay an undisclosed amount to the coffers of the school within a week.

Although many parents kicked against the idea and refused to make the payment, the development, however, shows that some schools’ intentions are not as genuine as they appear.

Hakeem Hafeez, an educational psychologist, however, advised parents to keep an eye on what their children and wards are doing with the Internet-enabled devices used in learning as they could stray to harmful sites when not kept in check.

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