The Chairman of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Prof. Femi Akinwumi has urged primary school teachers in the state to dedicate themselves to duties after seven months closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the advice was given as primary schools in Ekiti resume for academic activities on Monday.
Akinwumi called on them to adhere strictly to the guidelines issued by government to curb the spread of the virus in schools and other public places.
The chairman’s call was conveyed in a release in Ado-Ekiti, by Mr Tope Babalola, the SUBEB Director of Social Mobilization.
He urged teachers to work assiduously towards accomplishing the task of ensuring their safety and that of their pupils.
Akinwumi added that they must ensure proper preparation of the pupils for the forthcoming common entrance and placement examinations.
He said the two major tasks were achievable if teachers remained diligent, committed and focused in discharging their duties.
Akinwumi pledged the commitment of the Fayemi-led administration towards providing a conducive teaching and learning environment in schools as well as ensuring adequate training and re-training for teachers in public schools.
He said now that all public primary schools in the state had been provided with spray pumps and herbicides, there was no excuse for the school environment to be overgrown by weeds.
Akinwumi stated that the new method of rigorous and continuous schools inspection recommended by the Universal Basic Educational Commission (UBEC) Quality Assurance would come into full effect in the state in the new term.
NAN recalls that Gov. Kayode Fayemi in a statewide broadcast announced Sept. 21 as date for re-opening of primary and secondary schools in the state thus ending months of closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor had specifically said students in SSS II, JSS III and Primary 6 would resume on Sept. 21, while students in SSS I, JSS II and Primary 5 and Primary 4 would resume from Sept. 28.
Other grades of pupils and students were to resume later when more assurance of safety for their age bracket would have been established. (NAN)
