Letters
Reopening of Schools: An Open Letter To The Nigerian Government -By Abiodun Adesanya
Schools were shut down at a time the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria was less than 100. Today, Nigeria has recorded over 40,000 cases. Yes, only the living can go to school but the fate of Nigerian students and by extension, our educational sector needs urgent and drastic attention.
Your Excellency,
A CALL TO REOPEN SCHOOLS AS CONTINUOUS CLOSURE IS NO LONGER JUSTIFIABLE
I wish to commend the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on her efforts to curtail the spread of the novel COVID-19 pandemic. The relentless service of the Presidential Task Force, Task Forces of state governments, and all other national bodies at this critical time is not unnoticed. These are our present heroes and indeed, the labour of our heroes shall never be in vain. However, I must say that the continuous closure of Nigerian schools is no longer justifiable based on certain undeniable facts and I humbly urge the government to reconsider her stance.
For the past four months, all schools have been closed so to curtail the spread of COVID-19 but the rhetorical question in the mind of all students is when exactly schools would be reopened for learning. While I commend the government for recently approving the resumption of exit classes for their promotional examinations, I am of the opinion that all classes, including tertiary institutions, should be reopened. In a country where political activities and elections are giving priority over and above education, one would wonder what the future holds for her youths and students. The race for Edo and Ondo States’ governorship elections is already tense and gaining momentum but one may be tempted to ask if these gladiators are actually observing social distancing and other guidelines as prescribed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force.
In a country where markets are being reopened for economic activities, the question is which is more organized between the market and the school? Of course, the government tried her best, but the inability to provide adequate palliatives for all and sundry made her bow to pressure to allow citizens fend for themselves. It is worrisome to see parents go to overcrowded markets without adherence to the use of face mask and other protective guidelines and such parents come back home to mingle with students (children) asked to go home to avoid contracting this same COVID-19.
The effort of State governments and the Federal Ministry of Education in organising Digital Classes has not been yielding desired results. The percentage of students benefitting from these digital classes is infinitesimal owing to epileptic power supply, non-access to data subscription, or inability to own personal computers or android phones.
Some civil servants, particularly the Academic Staff Union of Universities are urging the government not to reopen schools, claiming it is not ripe to do so. These are people receiving salaries with virtually no work since the closure of schools. Let the government stop paying or cut their salaries to fight this COVID-19, I bet their voices will change.
It behooves on me therefore to proffer possible solutions to this academic gridlock. Firstly, government at all levels should provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and hand sanitizers to academic staffers if necessary, and should ensure that schools provide constant water supply for students. The government should also assist schools in providing ventilators and temporary isolation centers.
With the imminent resumption of exit classes, efforts should be geared towards to reopening of other categories of students. The clustering of pupils during break times should be temporarily prohibited. The regular transportation of students by school buses should be placed on hold. All higher institutions should reopen at the same time as systematic reopening would be impracticable due to disparity in their respective academic calendar.
Alternatively, it is high time the Nigerian government accepted the fact that for digital classes to yield desired results, constant (not necessary free) power supply must be provided. The government should as a matter of urgency invest more in the education sector by providing laptops or android phones and free data subscriptions for all Nigerian students. More lecture theatres also need to be constructed in our schools to provide adequate spacing.
Schools were shut down at a time the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria was less than 100. Today, Nigeria has recorded over 40,000 cases. Yes, only the living can go to school but the fate of Nigerian students and by extension, our educational sector needs urgent and drastic attention. It is my humble advice that the Nigerian government should reopen schools now while simultaneously ensuring the protection of lives, so as to save our dear country from intellectual catastrophe.
Yours in truth.
Abiodun Adesanya
Faculty of Law, OAU.
Cc:
His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
The Nigerian Senate
Federal House of Representatives
Presidential Task Force on Covid19
Federal Ministry of Education
All State Governors
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
ASUU, ASUP, COEASU, NUT and NLC.
