FG Sets Deadline For Proprietors To Meet Guidelines For School Reopening

The federal ministry of education on Friday mandated school owners to meet set guidelines for safe reopening of schools latest July 29. The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba revealed this at a press briefing at his office in Abuja.

According to the Minister, the date for school reopening will be announced in due course. He however, advised school owners to prepare and comply with the guidelines the ministry released on Monday July 13 for safe reopening. The guideline was drafted after the ministry consulted with appropriate authorities, which include Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Education in Emergencies Working Group.

The minister advised schools to self-assess their preparedness and compliance with the released guidelines and send feedback to state ministries of education in their respective locations not later than July 29, 2020. After the feedback are gathered, the federal ministry will consult with stakeholders in the sector to review the situation and decide on appropriate date for school resumption or otherwise.

"Since Tuesday last week, we have consulted widely with stakeholders in the sector, including Commissioners for 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," said Hon. Nwajiuba, as reported by Ben Bem Goong, Director of Information of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Meanwhile, below is the summary of the guidelines for safe reopening of schools released earlier by the federal ministry of education.

Summary of the Guidelines for Reopening of Schools

i. The guidelines cover four thematic areas:

Staying home and learning safely
Before schools and learning facilities reopen
Reopening process
Conditions for safety when learning facilities are reopened.

In each of these areas actions and responsibilities are identified for various stakeholders such as policy, financing, safe operations, learning, training, reaching the most marginalized, building back better, safety and hygiene, Infection Prevention and Control, (IPC).

1. Staying Home and Learning Safely

Ensuring continuity of learning is vital.

Staying home and learning in a safe environment does not only address learners and educator's basic physical safety needs but also ensure that all learners and their families/ household members are safe.

This means that all education environments must be inclusive irrespective of location, access to the internet, and socio-economic background.

The following actions are recommended to safeguard the health, safety and security of learners accessing remote learning while ensuring that quality outcomes are obtainable:

Conduct online training that not only prepares teachers to teach in a way that safeguards the health, safety, and security of the learners but also enables them to facilitate learning using 21s century pedagogy based on Information and Communications Technology, (ICT).
Revise to strengthen current remote learning programs initially launched for stronger curriculum backing towards improving relevance and quality on a grade level to level basis.
Provide learners access to online resources materials, online learning platforms, radio or television programs
Children and young people should stay at home and wash their hands regularly, maintain personal hygiene and adhere to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), and World Health Organisation, (WHO), Covid-19 guidelines.

2. Before Schools and Learning Facilities Reopen

Federal and State Ministries of Education (SMoE) should decide when to reopen schools after due consultations with the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 (PTF) and other critical stakeholders taking into consideration key requirements listed in the guidelines. In each state, a functional School Health programme chaired by a state school health focus officer should be put in place while a school focal officer should be assigned in every school.

Schools must also put in place systems that meet the following:

Safe distancing procedures
Alternative learning models for safe distancing. The guideline proffers diverse alternative learning models tailored to the specific learning context that assures equity in learning
Review existing policies, practices, and risk mitigation strategies in the use of schools for other purposes, such as distance learning centers, temporary shelters, isolation, quarantine and treatment centers, markets, voting centers, and others.
Develop and display at school's simple context-specific reference protocols on day to day actions be operated in each school.
Conduct risk assessment with a view to understanding the gaps in the system that can increase the risk of transmission and make recommendations for addressing the gaps
Safety and hygiene in all stages and phases of the school reopening process which promote behaviors that reduce spread, such as school commutes (to and from school traveling), safe distancing, frequent hand washing, and the of use face masks.

Other guiding framework includes sensitization, financing, learning, and monitoring procedures.

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3. The Reopening Process

Adjusting to the new school process requires much planning. A phased and gradual reopening of schools is advocated to minimize the risk of infections in schools and the resurgence of COVID-19 infections in the community. This involves measures including:

Training of teachers and other personnel on safety and hygiene measures.
Establishing a COVID-19 referral system.
Ensure availability of an ambulance and access to a testing/isolation/treatment centre including NCDC helpline and state government facilities.
Ensure adequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities across the school premises.
De-congesting classrooms, hostels, worship centres and other spaces.
Encouraging use of open spaces for gathering and promoting outdoor activities.
Establish a staff/students committee for regular surveillance, monitoring and enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines.

4. Ensuring Safety When Schools and Learning Facilities Reopen

Preventive actions are sustained through regular monitoring of compliance in schools after reopening to ensure the safety and health of all learners, teachers, administrators, and other education personnel.

Each school will comply with periodic Joint Risk Assessment for Safe Reopening of Schools and Learning Facilities Checklist under Annex A of the guidelines.

Implementing these guidelines will require the collaborative support of all stakeholders to reopen schools and learning facilities.

With the guidance offered in this document, schools should be able to put systems in place that allow them reopen in a way that protects learners, teachers, administrators, parents, and all stakeholders while providing high-quality education.