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Public, Private Schools Differ Over Reopening Of Schools

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Reopening Of Schools

Public, Private Schools Differ Over Reopening Of Schools

Mixed reactions have continued to trail Monday’s announcement by the federal government to reopen schools for students in junior secondary and senior secondary three.

While some have said that nothing has been put on ground by the federal government to curtail the spread of coronavirus in schools, others say it is a welcome development as students tend to study more when in the classroom and that online study is not effective.

The federal government had on Monday, June 29, 2020, announced the reopening of schools as part of modifications to the COVID-19 lockdown, phase two of which it extended for another 30 days.

The resumption was, however, limited to graduating JSS 3 and SSS 3 students preparing to write their final examinations.

Chairman of the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF), Boss Mustapha, announced this during briefing by the Task Force in Abuja.

In a telephone conversation with LEADERSHIP, the Advisory Director, White Plain British School, Dr Francis Chukwumah Nwufoh said reopening of schools is a welcome development as online schools were not effective at all.

He said primary school pupils most times do not concentrate during online classes as “you hear them making demands ranging from food, water to going to the toilet.”

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He said they are more concentrated while in class adding that what needs to be done now is improving the hygiene of the classroom environment and social distancing.

“It is a welcome development. We tried online school but it was not effective. Children are not serious. You will be talking to them before you know they will say mummy I want to go to the toilet. They are more serious and concentrated in the classroom. What should be done is seriousness concerning social distance and hygiene of the classroom. Interaction between teachers and students is very important. It is very important that they open the school because if children are not engaged, they might start forgetting what they have learnt,” he said.

Nwufoh further noted that experimental sciences like Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics need serious physical interaction between students and teachers for more clarity.

Also speaking to Source on the reopening of schools, director of Press, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goon said the ministry is currently holding meetings to tie all loosed ends before students can go back to classes.

He said both private and public schools would have to work out the details as it suits them.

He said all schools must be fumigated before resumption, while students will be divided into two for each class and those with boarding facilities will have to space the bunks.

According to Goon, “We have to do fumigation, we have to decongest the bed in the dormitory so that we can space them well. We have to subdivide the classes so that if you have a class of 50, you break it into two. Divide them into two since it is only the examination classes, the final year classes that are resuming.

“Every school will have excess classrooms so that social distancing can be observed. It is the same way we will spit them in the hostels. If the bunks are close, we can leave three bunks in between two people. Fumigation will also have to be done in the hostels. There will also be a notice going to parents on what is expected from them as their children go back to school such as face mask, hand sanitizer and so on. The private sector can also take a cue from that.”

The president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday kicked against the reopening of schools by the federal government due to the COVID-19 pandemic currently ravaging the country. ASUU national president, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun State.

According to him, the federal government needs to address the challenges of the education sector before it can talk of reopening schools. Ogunyemi urged th federal government to provide an ideal environment and should take the lead by meeting the conditions spelt out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) before reopening schools.

“The federal government must lead and show the way by  meeting the conditions for reopening of schools before any school can be allowed to open, because COVID-19 pandemic is a health challenge.

“When it comes to public health, it is something that should not be left in the hands of individual, but the federal government must take the lead,’’ he said. The ASUU president listed the conditions spelt out by NCDC to include; provision of materials for regular washing of hands, face mask, isolations centres, space for social distancing and hands sanitiser.

Ogunyemi said that many of the schools do not have financial capacities to meet these conditions and requirements for reopening of schools. “It is suicidal to reopen schools now, if the federal government itself could not meet the conditions spelt out by NCDC and World Health Organisation (WHO). The nation will expose the innocent children to risks which is avoidable,” he said.

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Labour Force

Kogi Governor Approves Implementation of N30,000 Minimum Wage for workers

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Kogi Governor Approves Implementation of N30,000 Minimum Wage for workers

Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, has approved the implementation of N30,000 as minimum wage for the workers in the state.

 

The secretary to the state government, Folashade Ayoade disclosed this on Tuesday after an extensive meeting with the organized labour in Lokoja

 

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She blamed the delay in the implementation on the inability for the committee to meet regularly due to the covid-19 pandemic which has been overcome.

 

The SSG equally commended the organised labour for their understanding and patience, which she said has resulted into the signing of the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Read Also: FCTA Set to Implement Minimum Wage for FCT Workers

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Finance

CBN to End Forex Sales to Commercial Banks in 2022

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Author: Eunice Johnson, Abuja 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on notice that it will stop selling forex to them by the end of 2022. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made this known in Abuja on Thursday at the end of the Bankers’ Committee Meeting where he also introduced the RT200 Programme.

 

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Emefiele said the time had come for the banks to go out there and source for forex by funding entrepreneurs with ideas. The CBN, Emefiele said, will support the banks by granting rebates and other support until the banks find their feet in sourcing their forex by themselves.

He also disclosed that the apex bank’s policies and measures have led to a significant improvement in diaspora inflow from an average of US$6 million per week in December 2020 to an average of over US$100 million per week by January 2022. He added that the CBN would be reviewing these intervention programmes going forward to ensure that they continue to achieve the desired results.

He said international bodies, including some embassies and donor agencies, have been complicit in illegal forex transactions that have hindered the flow of foreign exchange into the country.

 

Read Also: CBN Encourages Nigerians to Accept E-Naira

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Customs Corner

Customs CG Deploys 37 Comptrollers as Comptroller Attah Heads Kebbi Command

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Customs CG Deploys 37 Comptrollers as Comptroller Attah Heads Kebbi Command

Author: Gift Wada, Abuja

The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) has approved the deployment of 37 Comptrollers to various Units, Departments and Commands across the country.

This was disclosed in a release signed on Tuesday by the Customs Deputy National, DC Timi Bomodi for the Comptroller General of Customs.

Among those deployed are the present National PRO of Customs Comptroller Joseph Attah who will assume the office of Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede who shall be moving from ICT/MOD to Tin Can Island Port Command, while Comptroller SI Bomoi to FCT Command. Other postings are Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba to Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller A Dappa-Williams to Eastern Marine Command, Compt. MA Umar Kano/Jigawa, Compt. KC Egwuh ICT/MOD, Compt. LM Mark Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi, Compt. T Tachio CTC Kano, Compt. AA Umar Western Marine, Compt. M Dansakwa North Eastern Marine, Compt. AC Ayalogu T & T and Compt. KD Ilesanmi will assume duty as Comptroller Board among others.

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Ali in postings released on 7th of February, charged the newly posted Comptrollers to justify the confidence reposed in them by NCS Management by bringing to bear their years of experience and training in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities on their new assignment.

 

Given the enormous expectations of government regarding revenue generation in the current year, the Comptroller General reiterated the need for all Area Controllers and Unit heads to take full charge of the affairs of their Commands by ensuring absolute compliance with extant fiscal policies while leveraging on the efficient management of data to optimize trade facilitation and revenue collection.

Furthermore, the CGC directed all officers to be extremely vigilant in protecting the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians by ensuring the full fortification of our borders against the incursion of smugglers and other cross border criminals.

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Comptroller Ali Ibrahim Assumes Duty as New Customs FOU Zone ‘C’ Boss

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