The Federal Government has approved the reopening of all schools as well as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps since its closure in March 2020 as part of preventive measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), Dr Sani Aliyu made the announcement on Thursday during a media briefing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, saying the PTF recommended a phased return of educational institutions.
"For educational institutions, which include day-care, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.
"However, we strongly recommend that states conduct a risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create and monitor this level of preparedness.
"Meanwhile, all day-cares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed. And if there will be the opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home."
He also said the NYSC should begin making preparations for the reopening of orientation camps, adding that the scheme must ensure safety measures are in place to curb the spread of the pandemic within camps.
"For the National Youth Service Corps, the NYSC is to consolidate on safety measures currently being put in place and start preparing for the reopening of orientation camps when educational institutions open.
"We are in the process of developing strict guidelines to ensure there is no outbreak of Covid-19 when this process starts."
Similarly, Dr Aliyu disclosed that the FG has extended the COVID-19 curfew from 10 pm to 4 am to now start from 12 midnight to 4 am after a much-needed review by the PTF.
"We are modifying the curfew to commence from 12 midnight to 4 am nationwide, effective from 12:00 hours tonight," Aliyu said.
"This does not apply to people on essential services and international travellers that might be returning from abroad.
"In terms of other aspects of general movement, no formal restriction will be applied within the country but the risk remains there. For citizens in particular vulnerability groups, the elderly, those with underlying medical illnesses are strongly advised to continue keeping away from mass gatherings and the general public and staying at home.
"We will be engaging closely with state governments with regards to the issue of compliance, particularly with face masks because we remain quite concerned about the low level of compliance with this simple intervention measure that we know is quite effective."
