Augustine Okezie, Abuja
The Federal Government has directed schools (including private ones), and tertiary institutions, to remain open and complete their academic sessions rather than close because of the coming general elections.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Minister of Education, who gave the directive on Monday, while briefing newsmen after a meeting with commissioners of education from the 36 states of the federation in Abuja, said that there were no compelling reasons to close schools as efforts were being made to provide adequate security in schools during the election.
``At the end of our deliberations with commissioners from 36 states of the federation and FCT and the management of NUC, NBTE and NCCE, we resolved as follows.
``That all schools and institutions should remain in session while elections go on; most of our schools are half-way into the second term of school calendar and we have lost a lot during the Ebola crisis and most schools are trying to catch up.
``All schools that have not gone on mid-term break should put it on hold; those already on mid-term break should resume.
``In schools where we have polling stations, we have decided to ask state governments and ministries of education to ensure safety of students.’’
He urged parents not to work on rumours and expressed optimism that the elections would be conducted without violence or threat to life.
According to him, parents should know that they send their students to schools in trust that they will be protected.
Most parents, particularly those from the South Eastern part of the country that are resident in the North, are already withdrawing their children from schools and sending them home in anticipation of post-election violence
The Federal Government has directed schools (including private ones), and tertiary institutions, to remain open and complete their academic sessions rather than close because of the coming general elections.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Minister of Education, who gave the directive on Monday, while briefing newsmen after a meeting with commissioners of education from the 36 states of the federation in Abuja, said that there were no compelling reasons to close schools as efforts were being made to provide adequate security in schools during the election.
``At the end of our deliberations with commissioners from 36 states of the federation and FCT and the management of NUC, NBTE and NCCE, we resolved as follows.
``That all schools and institutions should remain in session while elections go on; most of our schools are half-way into the second term of school calendar and we have lost a lot during the Ebola crisis and most schools are trying to catch up.
``All schools that have not gone on mid-term break should put it on hold; those already on mid-term break should resume.
``In schools where we have polling stations, we have decided to ask state governments and ministries of education to ensure safety of students.’’
He urged parents not to work on rumours and expressed optimism that the elections would be conducted without violence or threat to life.
According to him, parents should know that they send their students to schools in trust that they will be protected.
Most parents, particularly those from the South Eastern part of the country that are resident in the North, are already withdrawing their children from schools and sending them home in anticipation of post-election violence
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