School Reopening: Southeast Governors Plan Mandatory COVID-19 Testing for Teachers

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, July 27th, 2020

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Ahead of planned reopening of schools in the five states of South-East, Nigeria, the Southeast Governors Forum has resolved that compulsory COVID-19 tests will be conducted on teachers in all schools in the region.

Ebonyi state governor, and Chairman of the forum, Engr. Dave Nweze Umahi, disclosed this Sunday in Abakaliki, the state capital while briefing newsmen after a virtual meeting of the body.

He said the meeting was also graced by some members of the National Assembly NASS from the geo political zone, leadership of apex Igbo socio cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as well as other stakeholders.

Umahi, said lots of fears were expressed especially for the kindergarten and primary school levels where the pupils for instance, do not understand what is social distancing.

According to him, “This is because they love themselves and must always stay together and a part of the protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is that people must wash their hands with running water.

“You will ask how many of our schools have running water and how many sanitisers have been provided for them. It is rainy season presently and most schools are bushy and have been abandoned since March due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

The chairman added that the forum decided to review school infrastructures in the zone to support NCDC protocols and subsequently wait for the Federal Government to have their final say on school re-opening.

“We will then review our position and tell our people the safest time to re-open schools with our health workers sent to enforce the NCDC protocols,” the governor said.