Southwest states agree to reopen schools for WASSCE

– All the six states in the southwest have agreed to reopen schools for WASSCE – The states agreed to put in place measures that will ensure students are safe while writing the exams – Another agreement reached by states is to approach WAEC for postponement of the examination to August 24

Against the position of the federal government, all the six states in the southwest have agreed to reopen schools for students to participate in the forthcoming West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The six states in the southwest are Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti. The Nation reports that commissioners, special advisers on education and SUBEB chairmen reached the agreement at a virtual meeting convened by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

Southwest states agree to reopen schools for WASSCE. Photo credit: DAWN Commission. Source: UGC Legit.ng gathers that a statement by the DAWN Commission indicated that all the states will reopen schools for SS3 students by August 3 with COVID-19 preventive measures in place. Also, the states also agreed to appeal to the federal government for postponement of the WASSCE by at least three weeks from the proposed resumption date. Afterwards, the states also agreed to directly approach the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to seek postponement of the examination to August 24.

Contrary to the position of the southwest states, the commissioners of education in the 19 northern states in the country have supported the suspension of school reopening amid the pandemic by the federal government. The commissioners made this known in a communique issued in Kaduna state on Saturday, July 11, after a virtual meeting to consider school reopening and other issues to strengthen the education sector.

Legit.ng gathered that the communique was signed by the commissioner of education, Kaduna, Dr Shehu Makarfi, who is also the chairman of the Northern States School Exchange Programme. The meeting was attended by commissioners of 13 of the 19 northern states namely, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, Niger, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Kogi, Kwara, Katsina, Kano, Borno and Jigawa. The commissioners applauded the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, for taking a decisive stand against school reopening and pledged their full support. According to them, keeping schools closed considering the spike in cases of COVID-19 across the country is a sure step in ensuring that children remain safe.