The federal government has given school proprietors across the country up to July 29 to meet specific guidelines set towards the reopening of schools.
The date for the reopening is to be announced soon.
The minister of state for education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said in Abuja that Nigeria has settled with four countries on a new date for the suspended West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
He did not mention the four countries.
The minister asked school owners to prepare and comply with the guidelines, adding that “schools are to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state ministries of education, not later than July 29, 2020.”
He said consultations with relevant ‘stakeholders’ would be held to review the situation and decide on a specific date for reopening or otherwise.
According to him, “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, and 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,” he said.
On WASSCE, the minister said, “the government met with WAEC on Monday and (we) have agreed to further consult with four other countries on a new examination date.”
He also said no Nigerian school will participate in the WASSCE earlier scheduled for August 5 to September 5.
This year’s examination, administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), was postponed indefinitely in April after it was earlier scheduled to commence in May.
It was postponed after schools were shut down across the country in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.
