COVID-19: Kaduna fixes Feb 1 for partial resumption of schools

The Kaduna state government has fixed February 1 as the resumption date for SS3, JSS3 and JSS1 in public and private schools.

Schools were part of the institutions shut in Kaduna and the rest of the country as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement on Saturday, Phoebe Sukai-Yayi, permanent secretary in the ministry of education, said pupils in primary six, five and four in private schools are also meant to resume on the same day.

According to her, the reopening of the schools followed an “extensive appraisal” of the second wave of COVID-19 in the state and a series of consultations with relevant stakeholders.

She said the number of students in a class would not exceed 20 — with a seating arrangement of 1.5m to 2.0m for physical distancing.

“The first shift will run from 8am – 12 noon, while the second shift will be from 1pm to 5:00pm,” Sukai-Yayi said.

The permanent secretary said schools must have a COVID-19 committee which will be made up of the School Based Management Committee (SBMC), Parents Teachers Association (PTA), community representative, health practitioners, students as well as teachers’ representatives to monitor and ensure compliance with protocol.

“While the ministry is assuring the public of continuing the e-learning program using Google classrooms, radio and television stations and other online applications, administrators of public and private schools are encouraged to adopt a blended learning system,” she said.

“Appropriate resumption dates for the rest of the classes (SS2, SS1 and JS2 in public and private schools and primary 3, 2, 1 and Nursery classes) will be announced in due course, subject to schools’ compliance with guidelines in place.”

Sukai-Yayi added that the directive also covers all Islamiya and Qur’anic schools in the state.