EBOLA: Our schools are safe for resumption —Teachers

As primary and secondary schools in Lagos State resumed yesterday, teachers in the state have said schools are now safe for the students.

The teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, had refused to resume despite the Federal Government’s directive that all schools nationwide should resume on September 22.

They took the decision to compel the authorities to put in place safety measures that would protect them and their pupils from contracting the deadly Ebola Virus Disease which was brought to the country by an American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer on the 20th of July.

Meanwhile, the private schools had since resumed two weeks ago and with the new development, the 2014/2015 academic session has begun fully in the state.

Speaking with National Mirror in Lagos, the NUT chairman, Lagos branch, Mr. Segun Raheem said that the union resolved to resume because the state government had provided necessary amenities for the prevention of the disease.

The Federal Government through the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau gave directive that all states should provide facilities such as thermo scan, pipe borne water, sterilizers and soap, among other items for use in schools before resumption. They should also train teachers on how to prevent themselves and students from contracting the disease.

“We had a stakeholders’ meeting with the Lagos State Government in September and it was resolved that government should prepare schools for resumption against Ebola virus and so far, it has provided the facilities in excess,” he said. He noted that his members had toured schools and discovered that government had provided safety measures for both the teachers and students.

Now, the state has 1,007 and 668 Ebola Focal Officers for all its primary and secondary schools respectively. The officers with thermo scan, a machine used to measure body temperature will be on hand in various schools for the purpose. With that, it is expected that any person with a temperature above 37.5°C should be isolated for medical help.

Special phone lines that are toll free have also been dedicated for use in case of emergency. Also, many schools, which were without safe water are now linked to the public water supply so as to be able to make regular hand washing a practice among students and teachers alike.

The state has also directed its water corporation to connect all its schools for regular supply of water which many of them lack.

The chairman pointed out that the union is comfortable with things on ground so far. “In fact, we are so happy with what the government did to curb the disease.

Now, I enjoined parents to release their children to come to school,” he stressed. Raheem advised teachers to make regular use of the facilities as well as teach the students on how to use them and how to be clean always.

He promised that the teachers would do everything possible to cover the syllabus so that the three weeks used at home would not affect students’ performance negatively.

The President, National ParentS/ Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Alhaji Babs Alade Animashaun on his part, commended the government, especially Lagos State for its prompt response and measures taken to curb the spread of Ebola virus in the state. He said parents who are still afraid to send their children back to school should put their mind at rest as the association can authoritatively say that governments have done the needful to make the school safe.

He also said although, the Ebola disease, which necessitated the earlier postponement of resumption date from September 15 to October 13 and now states independently choosing their resumption dates was a serious issue, the government and relevant bodies which have been on top of the situation since the disease got into the country, know better and therefore should be supported.

Animashaun who noted that the delayed resumption had already affected the academic calendar, called on the authorities to readjust the curriculum to enable the schools make up with the lost period.

He also called on the teachers as well as the students to take their work more seriously by filling-in the gap already created by the new resumption.

“Education is very important and we must all join hands together to move it to the next level if we are to progress as a country,” he concluded. Another parent, Mr. Olakunle Ojo, also commended the government for the provision of the facilities but told students to read their books religiously so that they can gain all what they have lost while at home.

Our correspondent visited schools like Ideal Primary school, Oshodi, Shyllon Primary School, Mushin and Lagos State Model College, Kakon, Badagry and found out that the state government’s readiness to prevent the disease and make the schools safe cannot be disputed.

A teacher with Lagos Model School, Badagry, Mr. Sunday Amosu told National Mirror that the government has provided all that was needed before their resumption.

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