Schools In FCT To Reopen 12th October As FCTA Releases guidelines

Schools within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will re-open for first term of the 2020/2021 academic session come Monday, 12th October, 2020.

This disclosure was recently made known during a press briefing by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.

Minister Bello confirmed that boarding students are expected to resume 11th of October while day students a day after, 12th October 2020.

According to him, decision upon schools reopening was taken based on received directive from the Federal Ministry of Education that states should determine suited dates to resumes after consultations were successfully made from various stakeholders in the education sector.

The Minister said collaboration from stakeholders like the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT); National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools; FCT Parents Teachers Association amongst others made it possible to reopen secondary schools and conduct exams for JSS 3 and SS3 students in August amid growing COVID-19 cases.

He asked FCT residents; including parents and guardians not to be complacent, as the virus still looms and has not be completely defeated.

A minute silence was observed for soul of Acting Secretary for Education, Alh. Umaru Marafu who died as preparations were made for schools reopening.

Meanwhile on guidelines regulating schools reopening, the Chairman of the FCT School Resumption Committee, Dr. Fatima Abdulrahman explained that the students will use first week for revision; as second term will be used to write second terms examinations suspended upon closure of schools.

According to her, after exams, the first term of the 2020/2021 session will conclude on December 18th, as it entails no third term for 2019/2020 session.

Other guidelines released are:

1. Publics and Private schools in FCT must prepare safety measures inline with re-opening of school guidelines given.
2. Any school that contravenes the guidelines will be sanctioned accordingly.
3. Committee on schools reopening and the Department of Quality assurance will monitor and ensure that schools in FCT comply to given health protocols on COVID-19.
4. FCT administration has taken decisive steps to safeguard teachers and students upon school resumption which includes:

• Fumigation of all public schools in FCT
• Clearing of grasses
• Observe bed space of 2 meters
• Suspension of school bus services, should parents insist, schools must ensure social distancing in bus.
• Provision of sanitizers, buckets, soaps and thermometers for schools.
• Provision of sick bays in all schools.