The Federal Government has said schools across the nation will resume on 18 January after it consulted stakeholders in the education sector.
Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, disclosed this while speaking in an interview on Thursday.
There have been concerns by some groups, notably the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), against reopening of schools in the midst of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adamu had during the press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday said January 18 resumption date was not sacrosanct, hinting that the date may be reviewed.
But speaking on Thursday, the minister said majority of the stakeholders in the education sector insisted to the ministry that schools should reopen on the scheduled resumption date.
He added that the ministry has decided to go ahead with the recommendations, with a formal announcement to be made soon.
“You will recall that at the Monday briefing of the PTF, I mentioned that the task force directed our ministry to review the January 18 planned resumption date and come back with a decision on whether to retain it or further extend the school closure.
“Based on that directive, senior officials in the ministry met on the matter. We took a decision on the matter.
“The outcome of our consultation is that majority of the stakeholders want the January 18 resumption date to remain.
“So, it is now our collective decision that the resumption should remain January 18. We intend to make the formal announcement either today (Thursday) or tomorrow (Friday),” Adamu told the Punch.
