Commissioners for education in 19 northern states back government
The federal government has caught heavy flak for the reversal of its earlier directive authorising schools to reopen for graduating pupils in the primary and secondary schools to write their final examinations.
It would be recalled that the minister of education, Mr. Adamu Adamu had nullified an earlier statement by the minister of state for education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who said on Monday, July 6 that pupils and students in final year classes in primary and secondary schools would resume on August 4 preparatory to writing their final papers.
But Adamu reversed that saying the earlier pronouncement was no longer tenable because of the worsening spread of the coronavirus disease in Nigeria.
The minister also cancelled Nigeria’s participation in the 2020 West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations because of the spread of the virus saying “I don’t mind Nigeria losing a whole school year than exposing our children to danger.”
Reacting to the decision, the former vice president, Mr. Atiku Abubakar said for reversing decision on reopening of schools could set off a movement of Nigerians to Ghana to write the examination.
“If this policy is not reversed, tens of thousands, and possibly hundreds of thousands of Nigerians, will breach social distancing rules to cross over to neighbouring West African nations to write their WASSCE, rather than miss a year,” Atiku wrote on his official twitter handle
He said there are things the federal government could do to ensure the examination holds in Nigeria.
“Rather than cancellation, there are better ways to protect the health of Nigerians and prevent the pandemic from escalating.
“We could mobilise all available public and private infrastructures, including primary schools, stadia, and cinemas, for the examinations.
“In the alternative, the Federal Government can prevail on WAEC to have staggered examinations with a different set of questions for each shift.
“1.5 million Nigerian youths write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination annually.
“To abruptly cancel this examination is to set back our nation’s youth, and place them behind their contemporaries in other West African countries.
“Already, Nigeria lags behind other African nations in crucial indices, like school enrolment, pass rates and out of school children.
“This action will further create chaos in the public education system and exacerbate an already bad situation,” he said.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), National Association of Private School Teachers (NAPST) and other stakeholders in the education sector also attacked the government’s policy somersault.
NAPPS in a statement by its president Mr. Yomi Otubela described the development as “shocking”.
“It is shocking because on Monday the minister of state announced to the whole world that final year students can resume next month to be able to sit for their terminal papers. After that, he met with stakeholders including the WAEC, National Examination Council (NECO), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) among others on the development. During the meeting, Nwajiuba even told the examination bodies to harmonise their timetables.
“The popular opinion at the meeting was that those set of students be allowed to resume and sit for their exams. To now say no to such a suggestion is very unfortunate. We are still studying the statement by Minister Adamu and we will react appropriately.
“One thing is certain; we cannot continue to toy with the future of our children. No one is saying health and safety are not important, but with the arrangement made as shown by schools that have resumed in Oyo State, I think there is no cause for alarm,” he said.
The national president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said the development was an indication that the leadership of the ministry did not do enough homework and did not coordinate well.
However, he supported the decision that schools should remain locked.
“The conflicting policy statements show a lack of synergy between the two ministers. The time is not yet auspicious for reopening schools. We asked them the data they had; they were not forthcoming. What the government did before some airports were opened have not been done. Schools have not been decontaminated. The pandemic is not peculiar to Nigeria. A few days ago, Kenya said it would cancel a whole session.
“Children can be carriers of the virus and they are coming from different homes. I don’t think or believe that children should be used for experiments. How many schools have running water even in our universities? Facilities to prevent the spread of the disease are not yet in place,” he opined.
The national president of NAPST, Mr. Akhigbe Olumhense, also lashed out at the government for the policy somersault saying government’s fear “is about the public schools that it has failed to make up to standard.”
“They cannot continue to dodge the issue. They should put in place the necessary facilities in public schools. I can say it boldly that most private schools are ready and would meet the required standards. They are only derelict in the discharge of their duties. During the lockdown, what were they doing?
“In Europe where schools have reopened; there has been no spike in the number of cases. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, there is no support for private schools. In some other climes, palliatives and support are given to teachers in private schools and the owners.
“If they want to shut down the schools indefinitely, let them put private school teachers on a sort of financial support. Even if it is N30, 000 they can give each teacher monthly, it would go a long way in ameliorating their conditions,” he said.
For its part, the House Committee on Basic Education and Services said it was amazed at the Adamu’s announcement that that Nigerian students would not be participating in the 2020 WASSCE.
The committee said the WASSCE and other examinations should not be cancelled in the country.
The chairman of the committee, Prof Julius Ihonvbere who the committee’s position known in a statement in Abuja said the minister did not inform the country if the position was in agreement with other West African leaders or in consultation with the examination bodies, the state governments and other stakeholders in the education sector.
Ihonvbere said he recalled Nwajiuba assuring Nigerian on several occasions during live press conferences by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 that all steps were being taken to ensure full compliance with all COVID-19 protocols in schools.
“This sudden policy reversal is not good for the country; it is bound to create further confusion in the education sector, create disappointment and suspicion among parents, and frustrate the students.
“It would show our development partners and Nigerians that the distortions and disarticulations in the sector are only getting worse.
“The reversal also shows that our policy makers may just be adopting a laid-back approach to the need to confront the novel coronavirus rather than taking proactive and creative steps to manage and contain it,” he said.
The lawmaker disagreed with the minister saying that reconsideration of the policy was urgently needed to save the educational system in the country.
“Nigeria is not the only country expected to write the examination in the midst of COVID-19; Nigeria should insist that the examination be based exclusively on the already covered syllabus of schools.
“The federal ministry should not chicken out of its responsibilities, but take charge, provide policy direction, engage the states and other stakeholders.
“We recommend that WAEC quadruple its invigilators and use all classrooms and event centres to conduct the examination and comply with COVID-19 protocols.
“The ministry of science and technology as well as the ministries of environment and health should immediately work out an agenda to fumigate all classrooms, provide hand washing buckets with soap and water, and facemasks to all students.
“Students should come from home, write the paper and disperse immediately,” he said.
He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to direct all ministers to return to their states to work with the governors to ensure smooth implementation of the policy and conduct of the examination.
“We are parents just like the minister and no Nigerian parent would want to delay, distort, even terminate the progress of any child,” he added.
Meanwhile, commissioners for education from the 19 northern states have agreed to participate in the WASSCE) and other examinations only when it is safe to reopen schools and when coordinated by the federal ministry of education.
Rising from a virtual meeting on school reopening and other matters related to education, the commissioners commended Adamu for postponing school reopening; saying reasons for keeping schools closed was appropriate in ensuring that children remain safe from the coronavirus disease.
In a communiqué signed by the Kaduna State commissioner for education, Mr. Shehu Usman Muhammed, they called on the minister to coordinate meetings in the education sector to find a common ground, where all stakeholders can agree on safe reopening of schools.
They urged the federal government to support states in putting in place safety measures for school reopening as part of its COVID-19 Social Intervention Project considering that many states may not have the financial strength to embark on such a huge capital intensive project.
“States should come up with a legal framework to enforce the ban and carry out massive awareness campaign to enlighten the public and enlist the support of parents and caregivers,” they said.
They resolved that the challenges affecting school exchange programme should be addressed by various state governments to ensure high standard of learning in schools.
“We resolved that schools should be opened, only when it is safe to do so and when states have complied with the minimum COVID-19 safety protocols, as outlined by the NCDC.
“We will participate in WASSCE and other examinations, only when it is safe to reopen schools and when coordinated by the federal ministry of education.
“States should carry out a holistic assessment of schools to determine their readiness to reopen and submit report to their respective governors for consideration,” said the commissioners,” the commissioners stated.
