The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has said that schools under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education, will not be opened on August 4 or anytime soon, as recently reported in the media.
The Minister stated this while addressing State House Press Corps after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, schools will open only when it is certain that children will be safe, even for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.
“Our schools will only open when we believe it’s safe for our children and that is when the situation is right, not when the incidence of the infection is going up in the nation. I just want to make it clear.
“We will not open soon for examination or for any reason, unless it is safe for our children, even WAEC. WAEC will not determine for us what we do. Schools will remain closed,” Adamu stated.
He queried the fact that WAEC’s announcement for starting exams was done when stakeholders meeting was still being held on Tuesday.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), we called on stakeholders who will tell us the situation and the way it should be done for it to be safe. While the meeting was going on, WAEC announced that they are starting examinations. Let’s see who they are going to start with,” the Minister queried.
Adamu advised states that had announced reopening of schools, to hold on until it is safe for that.
“I will also like to use this position to ask those states that have already announced (reopening), I appeal to them. I think it is not safe. I feel responsible for all children, not just those who are in federal government controlled schools. Please let’s save our children from this.
“One infected child is enough to infect a whole class. When they close from class they go into the dormitory, this is not the right time to open schools. I appeal to the states that have already announced to reconsider it,” he advised.
When asked if Nigeria will be the only country to miss out of the WAEC examinations, he said “me as Minister of Education, if I am given the chance, I don’t mind Nigeria losing a whole school year than exposing our children to danger.
“WAEC is a parastatal of the Ministry of Education, they cannot determine for the government what it does.”
