Kofoworola Belo-Osagie, Damola Kola-Dare, David Adenuga, (Bauchi), Kolade Adeyemi (Jos), Toba Adedeji (Osogbo), and Oluyemisi Olaosun.
MANY Nigerians have been anxious about the resumption of schools for the second term of the 2020/2021 academic session as a result of a sharp increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
On Monday, the Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja that the country had recorded a 20 per cent positive rate in the tests conducted for COVID-19 last week, expressing concern about the spike in cases in the second wave of the pandemic.
The Federal House of Representatives and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) were among institutions that flayed the Federal Government’s decision to reopen schools on Monday despite rising cases. The Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu had indeed hinted that the January 18 resumption date was subject to review last Tuesday. However, private school owners mounted pressure on the government to reopen schools.
Pressure by school owners
The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) following an emergency meeting of its leaders held a virtual press conference Thursday last week during which it urged the government to open schools, assuring that they would abide by COVID-19 safety protocols.
In his speech, National President of NAPPS, Chief Yomi Otubela said that private schools needed to stay open to survive.
“Private Schools cannot afford another prolonged closure of schools to prevent the total collapse of private education sub-sector,” he said.
President, Association for Formidable Education Development (AFED) – the umbrella body of low-cost schools, Mr. Emmanuel Orji, told The Nation that private schools suffered a great deal when schools were shut for over six months last year.
He said: “If government claims to care for learners and teachers and shut down schools without alternative provision, more (would) die of hunger than the dreaded coronavirus.
‘’ The private schools sector has not recovered from the last experience. I lost members to the cold hands of death not as a result of the infection but depression and high blood pressure.
“We are not happy that government demonstrates love to us when it comes to closure of schools but stops at that and does nothing when it comes to our survival.”
When the government eventually announced that resumption would happen, many school owners were relieved.
The Lagos State Education Commissioner, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, said the state government was under so much pressure to reopen schools despite being the epicentre of the COVID-19 infections in Nigeria.
“It was a very difficult decision to take. It has given us all sleepless nights. I don’t think I have slept in days – at times shuddering and saying ‘God please help us,’” she said in an interview while monitoring resumption on Monday.
Addressing some principals at the Dairy Farm Schools Complex, she added: “many people are angry that we reopened schools but if we did not, where would the children stay? They don’t stay at home.”
A school owner who does not wish to be named told The Nation that many of the elite schools were among those that pressured government to reopen because they owed bank loans.
He said: “They (government) wanted to satisfy the people putting pressure on them to open. I am sure if cases start coming up by February, it is likely they tell them to close schools. If the figure keeps rising, then we have no choice than to close down. But they have satisfied the school owners.
“And I must be frank with you, some of the schools are in great problem; they are in serious debt and the banks are not listening to them at all; the banks are not giving to them any concessions. There are some big schools that I know that owe two to three billion naira. They have gone on big projects worth millions of naira recently. So that is some of the reasons why I just pity some of the school owners.”
Parents skeptical about motive for resumption
Parents skeptical about resumption fall into two broad groups – those concerned about the ability of schools to maintain COVID-19 protocols, and those who think the resumption is a ruse to quickly collect fees before an impending lockdown.
Fees-motive parents
Some parents took to twitter to discuss the fees-motive conspiracy theory on Monday. A thread, started by @irepunited, soon got over 100 likes. The mother tweeted: “Tosin’s conspiracy theory is they want schools to resume so parents can pay school fees then after a couple of weeks, they’ll send the kids home. I mean, my kids drive me crazy when they’ve been cooped up in the house for too long but really safety first. How can cases be rising and you’re telling us to send our kids to school? It makes no sense. Then parents will pay school fees, you’ll now send these kids back home to the same parents to do your job. So what’s the point really?”
Many who commented agreed with her. @AU_Otas tweeted: “Exactly my thought and it happened last term. Though I pay yearly for my daughter but not this time. If not for those around me and her being in Year Five, honestly, I would continue homeschooling. ”
@ToluBad added: “I share this view too because regardless of whatever happens, you won’t get a refund.”
A parent in Jos, Plateau State, Mrs Agatha Ileanya, told The Nation that the resumption was good for her family. However, she fears a lockdown.
“From my observation, the schools are strictly observing COVID-19 protocols, which give us the confidence that our children are safe for now if only it will be continued.
“To me, I am afraid, if the Federal Government will impose a lockdown in the middle of it all, what will be our fate over the school fees we have already paid? And what will happen to it?” she asked.
Mrs. Ronke Oyelakin, a parent in Ipaja area of Lagos lamented that some parents were yet to recover from the losses of 2020, yet private schools have asked pupils to make full payment.
“Who does not like money? Of course they want their businesses to bloom and parents are expected to make payment before bringing their ward(s). They will all be smiling now as alerts keep coming in,” she said.
A Bauchi-based parent, Alhaji Rauf Oyewole, said if schools are to be shut again then there should be a roll-over of the fees paid or refund. Should that fail then he said parents may be forced to approach the Consumer Protection Council.
“As a parent, if this is what some of the school proprietors are planning, the parents-teachers association has work to do by defending the interest of the poor parents. We have paid this money to get our children taught but if you have not done that before the shutdown, you must rollover or return it. If this fails, then we may be forced to approach the Consumer Protection Council,” he said.
Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Osun State chapter, Mr. Segun Adediran, lamented that most private schools in Osun State were more conscious of the money they would collect from parents to procure COVID-19 materials than ensuring adherence to the safety protocol itself.
He urged the government to regulate the charges schools were asking parents to pay.
He said: “Most schools are not conscious of this COVID-19 virus – especially private schools. They are more concerned about the money they will collect from parents.
“Some schools are charging N1,000, N3,000 and N5,000 per pupil to provide safety materials. Even some schools are charging N10,000 depending on the calibre of students. Schools are generating millions all in the name of provision of safety materials. These schools are providing less to nothing. The government should please regulate private schools.”
Safety skeptical parents
The group of parents worried about the rushed resumption does not trust schools to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols and so have refused to send their wards to school.
A parent in Mushin, Lagos, Alhaja Mariam Zubair said young children cannot comply with safety rules.
“It is only God that can secure our children. Will a child want to heed to the COVID-19 rule of social distancing?
How will a little child not hold hands with his/her friends in school? They will definitely want to play and sit close to themselves,” she said.
Another parent who refused to give her name said her children were yet to resume because of the rising cases.
“For me, my children are still at home. I cannot let the silly decision of the government take away my children from me. Until the whole virus saga is over my children remain at home,” she said.
Unworried parents who like resumption
But not all parents are worried. Some were happy to release their wards to school.
Mrs Ezeani Onyinye was excited. “In fact, I am one of the parents that are very excited about the resumption of our children back to school. The previous lockdown really affected our children academics. I knew what we went through before we were able assist them catch up with their curriculums, so I won’t want a repeat of a situation whereby schools will be close down again.
“My happiness is that the schools have put in place all the preventive facilities that could curtail the virus especially if the protocols are obeyed to make the students okay. To me the resumption is okay.”
School owners defend resumption
Despite some parents’ disapproval, school owners have defended government’s decision to reopen schools. And they would be collecting their fees.
Proprietor of Westown College, Ayobo, Lagos, Mr. Charles Ijimileyin said school re-opening was not about the payment but about unhindered learning.
He noted that the idea of closing schools because of COVID-19 was inimical to the country’s future and the pupils’. He noted that with the right precautions, schools would be safe for learning. He said schools had resumed long ago in China where the virus originated.
Emphasising the importance of continuous learning, he lamented that many teenage female pupils attending public schools got pregnant during the lockdown.
He said: “Anybody who is against school re-opening because of payment is ignorant. It is a contract; if you bring in your child, it behooves on you to pay. Teachers have been at home, idle and with no source of income, hence, resumption is important. We are also helping government because we are employers of labour.”
Proprietress of Elimost Nursery and Primary School, Arowoye, Mushin, Mrs. Onifade Elizabeth, said parents who want a bright future of their children would bring them to school. She said some of the parents were happy to bring their children back to school but the only challenge was their refusal to pay school fees.
Mrs. Bunmi Oniyinle, Bursar of P and P Comprehensive College, Mushin, Lagos, said even before the resumption, adequate facilities had been put in place to curb the spread of the virus among the children.
According to her the idea of keeping children at home would not stop the spread of the virus. She said the only way to stop the virus was to obey the COVID-19 protocols.
She said the school had provided Personal Protective Equipment for the safety of the children.
