Following earlier directive by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 that schools were free to reopen as from October 12, the PTF has released fresh guidelines for the reopening of schools nationwide.
Dr Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the taskforce, addressing journalists at the Thursday’s briefing of the PTF in Abuja, said that the fresh guidelines were developed by the PTF in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
He said:
Schools and educational bodies that plan to reopen must have detailed communication protocols that include parents, school health teams, school authorities and local state officials.
They must also have a system for providing regular updates for parents, staff and relevant authorities, as well as communicate changes to procedures effectively.
Specifically, school authorities have the responsibilities to ensure that everyone gaining access to their schools is screened properly.
Boarding schools must have identified areas for screening and putting positive students aside.
There must be appropriate waste management systems.
Health facilities that are within the schools that serve the schools should have the ability to cater for an outbreak and a response protocol must be in place for these schools for students who test positive.
The PTF also said that the Independent National Electoral Commission would enforce no-face-mask-no-voting directive in the forthcoming governorship election which is to hold in Ondo State on Saturday.
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Aliyu said with 1.5 million eligible voters in 3,000 polling units across 18 local government areas of the state, the election “is clearly a huge exercise” which would also come with its risk.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government also announced an increase in the number of passengers flying into the country since the opening of international flights.
Also at the briefing, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Chike Ihekweazu, revealed that the agency has activated two public health laboratories in Niger State bringing the total number of labs in the country to 69.
He explained that 17 private sector labs, with the capacity to carry out COVID-19 tests, are currently operational.
