The Federal Government has said that it has not fixed any date for the resumption of school nationwide despite the announcement of a gradual ease of the lockdown in Lagos, FCT and Ogun State by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday. This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, on Tuesday in Abuja at the 21st joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

According to him, the Federal Ministry of Education could not give any date now when schools would be resuming across the country. He also explained that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has not cancelled its external examinations as students will still have to go and take them when the government is sure that students are no longer in danger of contracting the virus.

“The Federal Government is not ready to put children at risk by opening schools. “The President actually addressed the issue of the opening of the economy gradually. Until that is done, we cannot foresee or immediately tell you when all the schools will be reopened. “It will not be proper for us to simply give you a date. It has to be in tandem with these opening terms. We don’t want to put our children at risk. None of these schools can function on their own without the society.

“On the question of children promoting to the next class, those exams will happen when we are satisfied that the children have learnt what is enough for them to move. “For those who are in the exit classes of junior basic and senior secondary schools, we are preparing them and will continue to. “This will go on until we are sure that they are equipped for the external examinations. “The West African Examinations Council has not cancelled their external exams. It was postponed indefinitely.

“This indefinite nature is so that we can get a definite date. Students will still have to go and take those exams when we are sure that we have taken good care of the pupils.”  He stated.