Both Primary and Secondary schools in the South East States on Monday resumed for another academic session, amid fear of Ebola disease, and complaint of non provision of sanitary materials by Enugu and Anambra state governments.
HOMELAND NEWS gathered that the schools re-opened in compliance with the federal government’s directive.
However, when our Correspondent visited some schools in Enugu, students were seen cleaning their dusty class rooms under the supervision of their teachers.
Speaking to newsmen, the Head Mistress, New Haven primary school Enugu, Mrs. Benedict Ozioko, expressed dismay with the state government inability to provide them water and other sanitary items such as sanitizer and detergents, needed for the personal hygiene of the pupils for the purpose of preventing the deadly EBOLA Virus Disease.
She said prior to the 22nd of September resumption date, the state Commissioners for health and that of education, had assured schools that all the necessary materials including water will be provided in all the schools. But government had failed to keep the promise.
According to her, “although the state government was yet to provide preventive kits against the disease, we have made an internal arrangement to protect ourselves”.
“We are looking forward that maybe by tomorrow, that government will support us,’’ she added.
The situation is different in Private schools in Enugu state. Headmistress of May Blossom Schools, Mrs Josephine Mgbemena, said the school had provided hand washing points in each of the classrooms, as well as sanitisers and infra-red temperature detector to test pupils and students.
“We used the infra-red temperature detector to test all the pupils and students at the secondary section this morning. We will continue with this process to ensure the safety of our children,’’ Mrs Mgbemena said.
ABIA STATE
Public schools in Abia state today failed to resume classes after the Federal Government announced September 22, as the approved resumption date.
The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Abia state branch, had instead convened a meeting with its members where it was learnt they discussed the way forward for the system.
The teachers refused to resume for the reason that they have not been provided with the necessary kits to protect themselves and their students and pupils from the deadly Ebola Virus even though it has not been reported to be in the state.
According to the state chairman of NUT, Comrade Chizobam Akparanta, the union is not in any way on strike, “but we are bound by the decision of the national executive announced during its meeting on September 16, on the issue of resumption”.
He disclosed that state governments were requested to provide items such as sanitizers, thermometers, soap and running water as a condition to re-opening schools.
Apparently, to ensure the teachers go back to their classrooms, the state Ministry of Education today distributed some thermometers, buckets, dispensing kits and soap to public primary and secondary schools across the state at the Secretariat in Umuahia.
The Ministry is to also ensure steady supply of water to the schools.
However, the story is not the same for the private schools as classes resumed in earnest today with all the necessary materials in place in most of the schools as.
It is believed that the public schools will resume once the complete distribution of the materials are concluded.
