COVID-19: PTF Warns Against Resumption Of Schools

The Presidential Task Force, PTF, on COVID-19 has warned states not to be in a hurry to reopen schools as they continue to monitor the situations around the country while working to curb the spread of the virus.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, gave the warning on Monday during its daily briefing in Abuja.

According to Mustapha, discourage the resumption of schools but they want to ensure adequate measures are put in place to keep students safe.

He said, “PTF appreciates ongoing calls for the reopening of the education sector. And indeed, some sub-nationals are already making preparations for such.

“Whilst the PTF does not discourage such preparations, we need to be guided by experiences from countries such as Germany, France, the US, and the UK where the opening of schools in some cities led to confirmed cases and fatalities.”

He noted that they would present its recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari this week, which will determine the next phase in the national response.

There had been reports that some states including Lagos was planning to fully reopen schools for the next academic session in September.

Timetable for the resumption of schools in Lagos was been circulated on social which showed that first term of the session would start September 21, 2020 and end December 18, 2020.

But the Lagos State Ministry of Education, in a statement disassociated itself from the timetable explaining that it did not come from them.