Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) cum Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, has cautioned states against hasty reopening of schools, pointing out that it could escalate the COVID-19 management situation.
Mustapha said Nigerians should be guided by experiences from countries where reopening of schools in some cities resulted in an increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and fatalities.
“Whilst the PTF does not discourage making such preparations, we need to be guided by experiences from countries such as Germany, France, the United States and the UK where opening of schools in some cities led to an increase in confirmed cases and fatalities.”
“It is in the above context that the PTF appreciates the on-going calls for re-opening of the education sector and indeed some sub-nationals are already making preparations for such.
He however disclosed that more sectors of the economy might be reopened soon as Nigeria would be entering a new phase of the eased lockdown.
According to the SGF, the last three weeks had shown slowdown in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, pointing out that the lowest daily figure of confirmed cases (138) was reported on 30th August 2020.
He called for caution and vigilance as the number of positive cases continued to decline, noting that “the virus is still potent and very dangerous.”
In the same vein, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that public universities are not ready to re-open despite that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has asked them to prepare for resumption in line with COVID-19 safety protocols.
The union also questioned non-remittance of check-off dues from members’ salaries under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) for about four months.
Addressing reporters at the mini- campus of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago – Iwoye, Ogun State, the Coordinator of the Lagos Zone of ASUU, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, warned it would be “suicidal” for universities to resume in an environment devoid of facilities to observe safe physical and social distancing amid the pandemic.
According to ASUU, no concrete steps had been taken by the governments in any of the nation’s public universities to safeguard the health of their members and students from the COVID – 19 pandemic should the universities resume as directed by NUC.
The Nation reports that Olusiji, who addressed reporters in company of branch chairmen from the zone – including Dr. Joel Okewale (OOU), Dr. Adebayo Oni (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Isaac Oyewumi(Lagos University, Ojo), Tunji Ettu (Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun) and Dele Ashiru of the University of Lagos, noted that hostel accommodation was inadequate for students.
He said: “The response of the public universities to the call by the National Universities Commission for their readiness to reopen indicated that public universities are not ready.
“Presently, hostel accommodations are inadequate, no facility on ground to carry out physical in large and crowded classes, water and electricity supply are not reliable etc.
“Reopening tertiary institutions without taking concrete steps to address these issues would be suicidal. While government made arrangements for special bailout funds for airline operators and other private entities, no such arrangement was made for public universities.”
On the IPPIS deductions, Olusiji blamed the Office of the Accountant General for failing to remit deductions from salaries of members who were forcefully enrolled on the platform despite the union’s protests against it.
He said: “The numerous complaints and other observed gaps in payment through IPPIS only confirmed our suspicion that the platform is a mere business venture for some individuals who are bent on milking the country dry.
‘’Payment of salary is incomplete when third party deductions are not remitted to the parties concerned. Check-offs and other third-party deductions by law should not be held beyond seven days before being remitted to the concerned parties. Deducting and failure to remit check-off since February 2020 to date by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) is not only illegal but also criminal.
“Withholding of deducted check-off raises a number of questions – Who is keeping the deductions? Where is the deducted check-off and other third-party funds being kept? Are there escrow accounts being kept by OAGF?
“Will interest be paid on the withheld funds? On whose authority are these deductions being withheld? In whose interest is this act of criminality and extreme lawlessness being perpetrated? These and many more questions agitate our members and beg for answers.”
Also, the Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Education has urged the public to disregard a resumption time table flying around the social media.
According to the agency, the time-table, said to have been released by the Lagos State Government to the effect that primary and secondary schools in the state would resume on September 21, 2020 should be disregarded as it did not come from the state government.
A statement by the Public Affairs Officer, OEQA, Mr. Emmanuel Olaniran, said the calendar did not come from its office.
“Please be informed that the academic calendar above did not emanate from the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA). Kindly disregard,” the statement read.