COVID-19: Private schools to participate in 2020 WASSCE

The association of private schools in Nigeria has differed with the ministry of education over the issue – NAPPS said it would make a formal appeal to the federal government to reconsider its decision.

They said they are prepared to participate in the WASSCE despite opposition by the federal government.

Private schools have faulted the decision of the federal government to pull Nigerian schools out of WASSCE.

Private schools across the country have said they are ready to participate in the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) being conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) despite the stance of the federal government that no Nigerian school would participate in the exams.

The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, had announced that Nigerian schools would not participate in the (WASSCE) scheduled to hold from August 4 to September 5, due to the deadly COVID-19.

However, private schools across the country have differed with the ministry of education over the issue, Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) has appealed to the federal government to reconsider its position on WASSCE. NAPPS president, Yomi Otubela, said the association on Tuesday, July 14, would make an official appeal to the government to change its stance on the matter.

He said private schools have adhered to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) advise by putting COVID-19 safety measures in place to protect students who intend to sit for the exams.

Meanwhile, despite the federal government’s stance on 2020 WASSCE, the Oyo state has said that the students would continue their preparation for the examination.

Onyxnews Nigeria quotes Nigerian Tribune reporting that the state commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said that Governor Seyi Makinde-led government is still assessing the situation.

The commissioner, however, noted that the state’s schools remained open with students in SSS3 continuing preparation for WASSCE.

Speaking with newsmen in his office, last week Thursday, July 9, on the recent federal government’s position, Olaleye said that the state was also watching out for the reaction of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to FG’s decision.

While acknowledging that WASSCE was a critical part of education for all students in the state, Olaleye said that the state would make its position known based on its assessment of the prevailing situation.

In another development, President Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to sack the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, over the continued closure of schools in the country.

The request was made by the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday, July 9, at a media briefing in Akure, Ondo state.

The secretary-general of the association, Bashorun Sehinde Arogbofa, accused the education minister of planning to ground education activities in the country for a year. He said the federal government should have allowed schools opened by now.