The National Parents Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has insisted that the Federal Government must rescind its decision of not reopening schools and withdrawing Nigerian students in unity schools from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Speaking in an interview, Haruna Danjuma, National President of NAPTAN, said the association and parents were confused by the declaration of Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, last Wednesday, of a pause in the resumption of schools across the country.
Danjuma said the association will make its representation to the minister on Monday (tomorrow) on why schools should be allowed to resume and why Nigerian students in SS3 must write the WASSCE, which is conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
He explained that parents had resolved to work together with schools to put measures in place such as the provision of face masks, handwashing containers and hand sanitisers to minimise the risks of virus contraction by the pupils.
“Surprisingly, we heard from the Federal Ministry of Education that the government has suspended the reopening of schools. This is very confusing; we don’t know what to do. We are waiting for whatever will come after this,” Danjuma told the Punch.
“On our side at NAPTAN, we are planning to go to the ministry and meet with the minister or his representatives to hear from them. It should be on Monday.”
Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, had last Monday announced that the 2020 WASSCE conducted by WAEC would hold between August 4 and September 5.
But Adamu said on Wednesday that all federal schools would remain closed until it was safe to reopen them. He also urged state governments that had announced school resumption plans to rescind such.
