Despite fears raised by parents on the safety of their children during the period of the general elections, the Federal Government said yesterday that all public and private schools across the country will remain open for academic activities during the period.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau stated on Monday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the outcome of an emergency meeting with all the 36 commissioners for education in the country, management of the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education, National Board for Technical Education and other stakeholders in the sector.
According to the minister: “At the end of our deliberation with commissioners of education from all the 36 states of the federation and FCT and the management of National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education, National Commission for Colleges of Education and all other stakeholders in education after due consultation and deliberations in respect of whether or not schools should close for the period of the election, we resolved as follows: all schools and institutions should remain in session while elections take place over the weekends as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) time table.”
“No school should release their children on the claim of any threats, as far as we are concerned, elections will be conducted safely without any challenges.”
“Our decision affects every institution in Nigeria, children in the private schools are as good as the children in the public schools and the concern to cover syllabuses. This decision affects both public and private schools.”
He revealed that the Federal Government would not fail to penalise any school that fails to comply with the directive.
“It is our believe that we have had elections in the past where schools are in session and in view of the fact that this is just almost half way in the second term of the school calendar and in view of the fact that we have suffered a lot of loss of time in our schools during the last Ebola crisis and many schools are battling to catch up with the lost period, there is no reason before us that compels us to decide otherwise in closing the schools.”
Shekarau also directed all schools in the country not to embark on mid-term breaks during the period.
“We also agree that all schools that are used to having mid-term breaks and have not yet gone on that break should put it on hold; all mid-term breaks in all schools should be suspended for this term. Those on mid-term breaks already should please resume back to their schools immediately and continue their lessons.”
He also urged all government and ministries of education to provide adequate security for all boarding schools that will be used as pooling stations during the elections.
“The schools where we have pooling stations, particularly boarding schools whose premises are being used as pooling stations, we have decided to call on the state government and ministries of education to ensure the provision of adequate security,” he said.
