Ahead of the reopening of educational institutions, the federal government has advised institutions of learning to begin emplacing preventive measures against COVID-19.
The Minister for Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu, gave the advice during the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions, organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday in Abuja, to signify the commencement of admissions into tertiary institutions.
The minister of education, represented by Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, said it would be wise for all heads of institutions in the country not to wait until formal order to reopen schools were made before putting necessary measures in place, in compliance with advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
According to the minister, for any institution of learning to reopen the following must be provided:
- The whole premises of all institutions must be decontaminated.
- Installation of hand-washing facilities.
- Possess equipment for body temperature checks.
- Provision of body disinfectants at all entry points to their major facilities, including the gates, hotels, classes, offices, etc.
- Ensure social/physical distancing in classrooms and meeting spaces.
“All institutions of learning must have hand washing facilities, body temperature checks, body disinfectants at all entering points to their major facilities including the gates, hostels, classes, and offices.
“The whole premises of each institution must be decontaminated and all efforts must be geared toward maintenance of the highest level of hygiene.
“Ensure social and physical distancing in class sizes and eating spaces,” the minister said.
“The Presidential Task Force is working assiduously with facts and figures that mirror the reality of our current situation and circumstance.
We are making use of them to respond to the challenges in such a way that we can limit and manage the negative effects of the pandemic,” he added.
“All Institutions should ensure compliance with the timeline collectively agreed at this Policy Meeting on the completion of the admission exercise.
No institution should recapture the biometrics of candidates.
JAMB has been directed to make biometrics available for all institutions and facial images of candidates available at no cost,” he said.
The minister also commended institutions engaged in inventions to counter the pandemic like ventilators, sanitizers, handwashing machines, etc.
All primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions in the country were shut down in March 2020, when the federal government unveiled measures to fight the spread of coronavirus.
