It’s suicidal to reopen schools now – ASUU warns

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Monday kicked against the reopening of schools by the Federal Government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The union argued that the government must make resources available in order for schools to meet proposed conditions by the Federal Ministry of Education.

ASUU National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, made this position known on Monday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ota, Ogun State.

He urged the government to provide the ideal environment and meet the conditions spelt out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control before reopening schools across the country.

Ogunyemi said, “The Federal Government must lead and show the ways by meeting the conditions for reopening of schools before any school can be allowed to open because COVID-19 pandemic is a health challenge.

“When it comes to public health, it is something that should not be left in the hands of individuals but the Federal Government must take the lead.”
The ASUU president listed the conditions spelt out by NCDC to include the provision of materials for regular handwashing, provision of face masks, isolations spaces, hands sanitisers, amongst others.

He said many government-owned schools don’t have financial capacities to meet the outlined conditions.

He said, “It is suicidal to reopen schools now if the Federal Government itself could not meet the conditions spelt out by the NCDC and the World Health Organisation. The nation will expose innocent children to avoidable risks.”

Schools across the country were shut in March to curb the spread of the pandemic.