Breaking: Federal government reopens all schools

The Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reopening of all schools as the country goes into the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OnyxNews Nigeria reports the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, revealed this on Thursday during the daily briefing.

The briefing came after the PTF submitted its Seventh Report to President Muhammadu Buhari, with the Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, saying all the proposals by the team were approved by the President.

Speaking during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, Aliyu said the task force recommended phased return of all students to school.

His words: “For educational institutions, which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

“Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.

“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create and monitor this level of preparedness.

“Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-classes until this level of risk is assessed.

“And if there will be opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.”