After weeks of uncertainty and conflicting directives, the Nigerian government on Monday directed schools in the country to reopen on August 4 to enable final-year students to prepare for their examinations.

 

The government also announced that the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for 2020 would begin on August 17.

 

Ben Goong, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, made the announcement through a statement he issued on Monday.

 

The statement titled ‘Exit Classes To Reopen August 4th’ said:

 

“These were the unanimous decisions reached today at a virtual consultative meeting between the Federal Ministry of Education, Honourable Commissioners of Education of the 36 states, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, the proprietors of private schools and the Chief Executives of examination bodies.”

 

Nigeria had previously announced that this year’s School Certificate examination would run from August 4 to September 5. This was later canceled, as the government raised concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Nigerian schools have been closed since March as part of the lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.

 

The Monday statement made it clear that the reopening is for only final-year classes.   “Secondary schools in the country are to reopen from the 4th of August 2020 for exit classes only,” it explained.

 

It added that the students will have two weeks with which to prepare for the West African Examinations due to start on the 17th of August 2020.

 

“It was agreed that the exit classes should resume immediately after the Sallah break, from the 4th of August 2020, to enable them to prepare for the WAEC examinations scheduled to commence from the 17th of August 2020.

 

“The meeting also resolved that a passionate appeal be made to the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and public-spirited Nigerians for assistance to schools across the country to enable them to fast-track the preparation for safe reopening, as agreed.

 

The statement added that the disruption in the country’s educational sector would be further addressed by another meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

 

“Another meeting is to be convened tomorrow between the Federal Ministry of Education and the Chief Executives of examination bodies namely, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS to harmonize their examination dates, which will be conveyed to stakeholders expeditiously by the Federal Ministry of Education.”