Gabriel Atumeyi
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State on Friday said the state could not afford to close down schools a second time down of schools as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic because of its effect on society.
Ganduje explained that such a move would be counterproductive as the virus keeps following pupils to their homes.
The Governor, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, made the disclosure during a stakeholder meeting with members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and some selected Head Teachers, in the series of Stakeholders Sensitisation Meetings on Second Wave of COVID-19 in Kano, held at Africa House, Government House, Kano, on Friday.
According to Ganduje, though there is a dire need to fight the pandemic using all available resources and avenues, it is necessary to clearly understand the implications of certain actions in the process.
“The issue is not that of closing schools. When you close schools, it is another tragedy also. Because if you close schools with the intent that you take students away from COVID-19, the same pandemic is capable of following them into their respective homes. So what are we saying?”, he asked rhetorically.
“The closure of schools would take students and the system of education back again. It is because of this that we exempted teachers from staying at home, unlike other civil servants who we ordered must not come to work, but stay at home,” he explained.
Ganduje further warned that COVID-19 protocols must be complied with, saying, “We must comply with all the protocols as provided by our able health workers. This is absolutely necessary.”
After assuring them of the government’s commitment to the free and compulsory primary and secondary education policy, he urged parents to help teachers and the government to ensure that their children always comply with the protocols of COVID-19.