COVID-19: Bayelsa govt issues guidelines for reopening of schools

The Bayelsa State government has issued guidelines to ensure that schools are safe to allow final year students resume and participate in external examinations as directed by the Federal Government.

This was disclosed on Monday by the Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Information and Education respectively, Messrs Freston Akpor and Walter Liverpool, who both informed that the state government was doing its best to protect students and teachers amid the COVID-1 pandemic.

Akpor, who is a member of the Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force, also revealed that the state government was already fumigating schools across the state as well as providing hand washing facilities.

He said; “The government of Bayelsa State has been working to get our schools ready and safe for our children and that is why we have scheduled a train the trainers programme to acquaint schools with COVID-19 safety protocols.

“The essence is to build capacity of our people and update them with the guidelines from the Federal Government on the reopening of schools that is why we are taking our time and shifted the resumption for final year students to Aug. 5.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Bayelsa govt to pay special allowances to frontline health workers

“Government is providing face masks, infrared thermometers and access to water for schools without water supply, alternative arrangements are in place, and we are poised to check the spread of the coronavirus.

“In view of the questionable and low quality of hand sanitizers, we are emphasizing frequent hand washing with soap and water, and we appeal to members of the public as well as parents and guardians to complement the efforts’ government is making.

“Parents should for example provide additional face masks for their wards so that for instance when they wash the ones provided in schools, they can have a spare one,” Akpor concluded.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now