Ebola: FG directs schools to remain close till Oct 13

The Federal Government on Tuesday
directed that all public and private primary and
secondary schools should remain closed till Oct. 13.
The Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau,
gave the directive when he briefed newsmen after a
meeting with Commissioners for Education in Abuja.
“The minister and all commissioners met today,
Aug. 26, to discuss issues related to the reopening
of schools for the new academic year vis-à-vis the
Ebola epidemic issue.
“At the end of the meeting, the following decisions
were arrived at as preventive measures to ensure
the safety and wellbeing of all students in our
schools throughout the federation.
“All primary and secondary schools both public and
private are to remain closed until Monday, Oct. 13,
2014, which is the new resumption date for all
schools throughout the federation.
“This is to ensure that adequate measures are put
in place before the students report back to school,’’
Shekarau said.
Shekarau said the meeting also agreed that all
Ministries of Education should immediately organise
training for at least two staff in each public and
private school.
He said schools must ensure that the training was
given by appropriate health personnel on how to
handle any suspected case of Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD).
He said the training of such staff must be concluded
not later than Sept. 15.
The minister also directed all the state ministries to
establish a Working and Monitoring Team and also
appoint a designated Desk Officer on Ebola.
Shekarau said the officers must report on daily
basis to the commissioners on situation in the
schools not later than Sept. 1.
He also ordered the immediate suspension of
ongoing summer classes conducted by some
private schools.
According to him, all private primary and secondary
schools must comply with the directives, which also
apply to Federal Government Colleges.
He, therefore, urged state governments to support
their ministries with all necessary funds to ensure
effective implementation of these measures.
Shekarau said that all tertiary institutions were
advised to suspend exchange of staff and students’
programmes, visits, and major international
seminars and workshops until further notice.
“They are to monitor movements of foreign students
in their campuses and liaise with appropriate
government health institutions to organise and
ensure effective sensitisation programme for all
their staff,’’ he said.
The minister said that he would be meeting again
with all the commissioners on Sept. 23, to review
the situation in all states.
He said that appropriate sanctions would be taken
against any defaulter of the directives. (NAN)