Ebola Fears: Private school proprietors back Sept 22 resumption date

As the new resumption date  by the Federal Government for the nation’s public and private schools continues to generate controversy,  the National Association Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPS,  in Bauchi State has thrown its weight behind the new resumption date, saying schools should adopt preventive measures against the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, instead keeping students at home.

President of the association, Mr. Austin Losa, while reacting to threat by the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, to embark on strike over the resumption date, said: “I see no basis why students should continue to remain at home because of the selfish interest of some unions who are using this resumption date saga to achieve their aims.

“What people do not know about the EVD is that there is no community risk of the virus in Nigeria. It is only when there are migrations from Ebola affected countries and primary contacts, that there is a reason for concern. For now, Nigeria has been able to contain the spread of the virus by strictly monitoring such migrations. So, there is no reason to panic.”

He claimed private schools in the state had procured infra-red thermometers as part of preventive measures to contain the EVD and safeguard the health of students in private schools.

According to him, “apart from measuring the body temperature of the students before entry the school premises; they will also wash their hands at the gate of their schools to promote hygiene culture among the students. The federal government earlier promised to donate the Ebola testing kits to schools, but it is yet to deliver the testing items. So, as a preventive measure, the association decided to buy only the infra-red thermometers for distribution to all private schools in the state

“The Federal Ministry of Education has also directed that all state ministries of health should collaborate with the state ministry of education to organise workshop whereby two teachers from each school will undergo training on the Ebola virus.”