By Ahmed Rahma
All public and private primary and secondary schools in Lagos State have been directed to resume for the second term 2020/2021 academic session on Monday, January 18, 2020.
The directive was given on Monday, January 4, 2021, by the state government through a statement issued by the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo.
The schools below the tertiary level in the state were earlier scheduled to resume for the new term today, but was postponed indefinitely because of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country and the state in particular.
In the statement this afternoon, the Commissioner explained that the new development was in line with the federal government’s directive that schools should resume from two weeks’ time.
Mrs Adefisayo, in her statement, urged schools to make provisions for virtual learning for students who may fall sick and sent home for proper medical care.
She also advised teachers, students, and visitors to wear facemasks at all times, observe physical distancing, embrace regular handwashing with soap under running water and maintain a high standard of personal hygiene within the school premises.
“All public and private schools below the tertiary level in Lagos State should be reopened for the second term 2020/21 academic session from Monday, January 18, 2021.
“Schools should have flexible plans where students and teachers who feel sick can teach or learn from home via available online platforms.
“Schools should also strive to avoid any COVID-19 infection among all students and staff,” the Commissioner said, adding that, “All schools to make efforts to comply with all the outlined COVID-19 requirements for resumption of schools.”
“Not just for the improvement of overall school operations but for the safe reopening of academic activities to support the Lagos State Government’s quest for a full return,” she noted.
Business Post had earlier reported that the reopening of the schools in the state would depend on how the second wave of COVID-19 goes, according to the spokesman of the ministry, Mr Kayode Abayomi.
Latest COVID-19 figures show that on January 3, 2021, a total of 917 new cases were confirmed and nine deaths recorded in Nigeria.
Till date, 90080 cases have been confirmed, 75044 cases have been discharged and 1311 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory
The 917 new cases are reported from 17 states- FCT (222), Lagos (214), Kaduna (119), Plateau (92), Nasarawa (50), Oyo (41), Adamawa (33), Ondo (32), Abia (28), Ogun (19), Rivers (17), Kano (16), Yobe (14), Edo (8), Anambra (6), Ekiti (5) and Jigawa (1)
A multi-sectoral national emergency operations centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, continues to coordinate the national response activities.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Dipo Olowookere