OGUN: Govt suspends staggering, orders schools to revert to normal classes

THE Dapo Abiodun governmenthas ordered schools across the state to return to the normal schedule of 8am to 2pm as against staggering of classes adopted as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, gave the directive to heads of schools in the state on Monday in Abeokuta, even as the cases of the deadly virus continue to increase in Nigeria.

Arigbabu said, “Schools must revert to their normal hours, which is from 8am to 2pm. Staggering of classes will not hold anymore because the syllabus has to be covered, as well as safeguard lives of students who loiter around before their scheduled classes.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communications, Remmy Hazzan, on Tuesday further explained that the move was for logistic reasons.

Hazzan said the government was mindful of the increasing cases of COVID-19 and had put in place measures to ensure protect both students and teachers by ensuring that non-pharmaceutical protocols are sustained.

He said the government planned to assess the new policy for two to three weeks and review it before taking another decision.

He said, “New teachers have been employed and there will be enough hands in the schools. There are massive infrastructural development going on and more classrooms are being added to the existing ones.

“However, we are going to look at what this brings in terms of evaluation within the first two to three weeks. If there are no problems, we may just leave that way.”