By Adeola Ogunlade
SUNRISE NEWS, Lagos, July 23, 2020 The Director, Health Education Service of The Primary Health Care Board, Mrs. Owojuyigbe Modupe has called for effective collaboration of all stakeholders in adhering to the World Health Organisation health protocols for a safe reopening of schools.
She said this at the Situation Room Engagement Forum organised by the Lagos Civil Society Coalition against COVD-19 yesterday.
The Webinar tagged: School Resumption in the face of increasing COVID-19 infections in Nigeria has over 50 participants drawn from government officials, civil society groups, school owners and community members.
According to her, the state government is doing its best in training and building the capacity of its health officials across the state so that they can be more prompt in the response and control of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
She pointed out that the state government has been working assiduously before the lockdown in sensitizing school owners and principals on preventing measures toward curtailing the COVID19 pandemic in the state.
She noted that it is evident that the number of health officials in the state is not enough to go round the state as the school reopens, stressed that schools must make personal plans and commitment to engage competent health officials who will work closely with our health officials in case of any eventuality.
“Our health officials are working in the communities with enormous work on their hands, but l can assure you that they will be monitoring, sensitizing and given schools information, communication and Educational materials for learners and teachers to know what is expected of them as we work together to curtail the pandemic in the state”.
She advised school owners and management to adhere the heath safety protocols of World Health Organisation and the state government health guidelines in the interest of our learners.
She reminded schools owners that part of the measure toward curtailing the pandemic in schools, the state government has put a ban on boarding students for now noting that children should come from home.
She said that the need to take seriously the health and safety of the students as the school reopen for the final year students examination is very germane and that can be done when we adhere to WHO health protocol, ensure social distancing and mandatory use of face mask in the school.
Also in his words, the National President of Association of Formidable Education Development Orji Kalu Emmanuel commended the effort of the state government in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, which according to him has been impactful.
He posited that COVID-19 has left more scar on many private schools across the country especially in Lagos state, adding the association with its over 7, 000 private schools owners in Lagos are leaving no stone unturned in adhering to the health protocols as the schools reopens.
He opined that as soon as the state government announced the reopening of the schools for external exams for final year students, we have contracted people to help us in fulfilling all the instruction of the state government.
“We have constructed automatic hand washing buckets as an association which was built by one of our teachers. We have also made arrangement with the banks to procure and distribute it in large numbers to all our members”, he said.
He stated further that the health of everyone, especially the learner is paramount. We have made about 500, 000 face masks. We got support from Holland.
He opined that because of the large number of students in school run by members of the association, members have agreed to a six days in a week school system where some students will come Monday to Wednesday, and others will come on Thursday to Saturday, so we can use all the available classes.