Segun James
As part of the preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19, the Lagos State Government last night announced the shut down of all public and private schools with effect from Monday, March 23, 2020.
The state’s Ministry of Education in a statement personally signed by the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, stated that it had become necessary to prevent children and their teachers from getting vulnerable to the pandemic.
“It is important for parents to ensure that their children practise ‘social distancing’ while at home, wash their hands regularly or use hand sanitizers and observe high standards of personal hygiene.
“Children should be encouraged to remain at home.
“The closure is not intended to create panic but to arrest the spread of the disease, which has become a global threat.
“The Incident Command Centre, headed by the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is the Incident Commander, will continue to trace all contacts of the identified cases,” she stated.
THISDAY gathered that before the state government announced the closure of schools, some private schools had taken the bull by the horns by announcing closure from today without any instruction to do so from the state Ministry of Education.
Their decision followed the federal government’s announcement of five new cases of coronavirus, bringing the national total to eight.
Schools still have two weeks to end the current term and this is a period many of them conduct the second term examination.
Some of the high-profile schools suspended examinations to close immediately.
