OYOGist.com has reportedly learned that the Federal Ministry of Education in Partnership with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has organized Zonal Stakeholders’ Dialogue meeting on School Reopening Readiness in the Southwest region.
The Southwest region educational stakeholders’ meeting was part of the federal government stakeholders’ meeting scheduled to hold across the six geopolitical zones of the country to review laid down guidelines and protocols for the reopening of the nation’s educational institutions.
While speaking at the three-day zonal Southwest geopolitical zone stakeholders’ dialogue meeting on the readiness of schools to reopen after the Covid-19 lockdown, which commenced in Ibadan, the political headquarters of the region, this Monday, the State Minister for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, explained that the educational stakeholders’ meeting became necessary to assess the readiness of the schools vis-a-vis the full maintenance of COVID-19 protocols in schools.
Mr. Nwajiuba, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arch Sonny Echono, emphasized conditions to be met for the resumption of teaching and learning, noting that the move has intensified the existing debate around the reopening of higher education institutions which have been closed since 23rd March 2020.
In his speech, Unicef representative, Mr. Muritala Mohammed, noted that the issue of inadequate physical infrastructure on the campuses must be addressed before the campuses are reopened, adding that several classrooms with multiple doors and gates should be provided for proper ventilation in public and private schools.
In his remark, the Oyo state commissioner for education, barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, maintained that the state government is committed to prioritizing the education sector in view of its importance, adding that as part of compliance with the COVID-19 protocols for ensuring of safety and protection of the teaching staff and the students, necessary COVID-19 preventive materials have been provided in schools across the State, while 2,454 Head-teachers were trained on Safe resumption of schools in Oyo State.
It would be recalled that public and private schools in Oyo state began the 2020/2021 academic session this Monday.
