School Resumption, Date For Universities, On October 12, All Universities Should Resume.

I think it is high time we started deliberating on the immediate safe reopening of schools at nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary levels, which were earlier declared closed by the federal government in order to curtail the spread of Covid-19 in the country. It was indeed a painful but necessary decision the government took on the closure of schools in the month of March.

However, having lived with Covid-19 from the month of March to July, I presume that every citizen of Nigeria should have mastered taking responsibilities of their lives, while living with the Covid-19 preventive protocols, as PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha had earlier advised all Nigerians to take responsibility of their lives.

It could be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari earlier approved the resumption of Final year classes (Primary 6, JSS 3 and SS3), without giving them any official resumption date. To complement this approval by President Muhammadu Buhari, here is the recent announcement Nwajiuba has made on school resumption.

After 29th July, School Resumption Date may be disclosed (my view)

Recently, the Minister of Education (State), Emeka Nwajiuba has made it known that the Federal Government has charged school owners to comply with the safety protocols recommended by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) before 29th July, 2020 as school resumption date would be announced in due course.

 He reemphasized that schools are to undertake self-assessment and send feedback to state Ministries of Education before July, 29. In this regard, this is a welcome development by the federal government as this move assures that schools would resume in no distant time.

School Resumption Date For Universities: On October 12, All Universities Should Resume (Opinion)

Before we proceed, let's get cleared on 2020 WASSCE Resumption Date.

It is known that the 2020 WASSCE initially scheduled to hold between August 4 and September 5, was suspended for safety reasons. In sync with this, 

it is good to announce that the federal government has agreed with four West African countries on a new date for the suspended West African Examinations Council (WAEC) as disclosed by Emeka Nwajiuba. This entails that the earlier scheduled date would be annulled.

School Resumption: On The 12th of October 2020, All Universities Should Resume School (View)

School Resumption Date For Universities: On October 12, All Universities Should Resume (Opinion)

In my own view, for safety reasons, I think school resumption should be done categorically in such a way that all students will not resume at once. As WASSCE resumption will soon be decided. 

I think WAEC candidates should resume school immediately, then followed by universities, before other classes can resume.

If this categorical resumption would be accepted, I think all universities should resume on the 12th of October, 2020. Here are my reasons.

As all schools have been scheduled to comply with NCDC Covid-19 guidelines before July 29, I think resumption of all universities on October 12, will give them enough time to carry out their self-assessment and get ready for school activities.

Also, seeing that the Federal Government and WAEC have agreed to schedule new date for WASSCE commencement, in my own view, the date may fall between September 5 and October 5, hence, it would be good for universities to resume on second Monday of October, which is on 12th October, 2020. 

This will even help to ensure that the forthcoming WASSCE is conducted smoothly, as campuses can even be used as exam centres.

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