Lagos Shifts Closing, Resumption Dates for Schools

By Dipo Olowookere

Lagos State government has announced an adjustment to the closing and resumption dates for public primary schools in the state for first term and second terms of the 2019/2020 academic session.

A statement issued by the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy on Sunday explained that the change in dates for public primary schools was on the need to implement extensive retraining of teachers and prepare them for the 2020 session.

However, it emphasised that the closing and resumption dates earlier given for private schools and government secondary schools remain unchanged.

“Please note that the curriculum of Lagos State private and public schools is not affected in any way by these changes and Lagos State will continue to implement her existing curriculum across the state,” the statement stressed.

The release, therefore, urged members of the public to disregard any misleading information contrary to the official statement.

Business Post reports that earlier, the Acting Director in charge of School Support Services at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs M. A, Folami, had said in a statement that the closing date for public primary school has been shifted to December 6, 2019 from December 13, 2019, while the resumption date for the second term was moved forward to January 20, 2020 from January 6, 2020.

“I am directed to inform you that the Commissioner for Education has approved that the Y2019/2020 Academic Calendar for Lagos State Public Primary Schools be adjusted,” a part of the circular said.

Mrs Folami explained that, “The public pre-primary and primary school head teachers and teachers will be attending EkoExcell Pre-service Professional Development and Technology Training Programme between the months of December 2019 and January 2020.”

The training programme is in fulfilment of promise by the present administration to invest heavily in capacity training for public servants, especially teachers, in order to make them realise its vision for a technology-driven education system.