Coronavirus: Schools nationwide will remain closed - FG

- The Federal Ministry of Education has refuted a report going around that it had directed the reopening of schools

- The ministry in a statement signed by the press director explained that its decision to close schools is still in force

- The education ministry advised the public to disregard the report about the reopening of any school at any level

The Nigerian federal government has reacted to a report making the rounds, that the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, directed the reopening of schools.

According to Daily Trust, the Federal Ministry of Education denied the claim, saying its decision to close schools due to the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country remains in force.

The ministry in a statement signed by Ben Bem Goong, the director press, said: “The ministry has not directed the reopening of any school at any level. The purported press release by the minister to that effect is a clear forgery as it did not emanate from the minister.”

Goong advised Nigerians to disregard all fake reports that appear to be news in the media.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that following the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, some private schools in Lagos state announced their closure, even without the directive of the education ministry.

The schools that have taken this action include Greensprings School and Lagos Preparatory and Secondary School, Ikoyi, The Nation reports.

The head of admissions in Greensprings School, Oluranti Bankole, said that the institution does not know how the events related to the spread of the virus will affect the third term and as such, "primary and secondary students will come home today with their notebooks.”

In a related development, the former vice-chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Professor Femi Mimiko, has asked Nigerians to give the federal government the benefit of the doubt in regards to continuing the school feeding scheme during COVID-19 lockdown.

Nigerians have kicked against the move describing it as fraudulent, senseless and impracticable. Others questioned how the programme would be implemented with the pupils currently at home and schools locked down.

While reacting to the situation, Mimiko called for understanding and patience.

In other news, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has advised federal and state governments to back their lockdown order with the provision of existential needs for residents.

Legit.ng's regional reporter in Ibadan, Ridwan Kolawole, reports that the president of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, warned that unless the everyday needs of the people are made available, the emerging lockdown of the country may not achieve its desired result of social distancing.

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Source: Legit.ng