By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie
A school owner, Pastor O. A. Durodola, took to the social media to share his experience with evaluators from the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Lagos State Ministry of Education to his school to assess its readiness for resumption.
He said OEQA officials, who visited his school, Dobar Schools, Ikorodu, unannounced on Monday and checked facilities, including toilets and hygiene wash areas, and observed teaching and learning.
He said they also pointed out errors, which he warned other proprietors not to make.
He said: “I thought it was a joke when I was told that I have visitors. I did not expect the ministry the first day of resumption but they came. The visit covered the following: isolation centre, all special rooms, observing the students in the class and during the break to see the compliance level to social distancing, the use of face mask and washing of hands; the reception at the gate for both students and visitors whether prescribed protocol to covid-19 compliant are maintained such as checking of temperature, washing of hands, etc.; the availability of teaching and learning materials; checking of diaries, temporary register, teacher lesson notes, diaries and other statutory records.
“Visit was made to our toilets for staff, students and visitors, water point for drinking and it source, availability furniture for students and staff.
Durodola also said the evaluators also recorded the number of pupils present and absent, checked the level of cleanliness of the premises, checked the online registration code and evidence that workers and principals participated in the OEQA online training; demanded for fumigation certificate; counted the number of wash hands basins and the number of classrooms.
Over all, the proprietor described the officials as friendly, and said he was impressed they uploaded the assessment real-time onto their website.
“The visit was thorough though friendly. The visit covered both health status and records. Thank God much has been put in place by us so nothing to fear when I saw them.
Durodola advised school owners to prepare their schools ahead of the government’s visit by doing the following:
“Compose yourself whenever you see quality assurance visiting your school. No panic they mean no harm; please ensure they observe normal protocol, it can be used against you if not done. We were faulted in this regards. My receptionist allowed them in without taking their temperature and asking them to wash their hands;
“Maintain clean environment, wash toilets regularly and keep the floor tidy; let your students and students maintain social distance in class and outside the classroom. It is not easy but please assign a staff to do this for you. It is very important.
“Using of face mask or face shield should be seriously enforced; both staff and children must be regularly monitored; Please update all your records, don’t say school just resumed.”
Durodola added: “Please be prepared oh. The government is seriously bent on ensuring safety and quality of education provided in Lagos State.”
The OEQA has said it would visit all primary and secondary schools to assess their facilities and compliance with COVID-19 protocols. Director-General, OEQA, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, said schools that meet the requirements would be pronounced ‘cleared’, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja said on Traffic Radio that schools that are found wanting would be shut.
Many school owners who read Durodola’s post on WhatsApp and Facebook, posted by an educationist, Mrs. Dideolu Adekogbe, thanked the proprietor for the useful information shared that would help them be prepared for government’s visit.
However, some school owners took a swipe at government for enforcing standards in private schools while failing to do same in public schools.
Replying to the post on Facebook, Moses Omorogbe said the government did not set good example with public schools.
“I wish the government could be responsible enough to make public schools an example on how to be Covid-19 protocol compliant in the safe reopening of private schools instead of enforcing measures that the state totally lack clues and moral ability to observe, on private individuals. That’s a government that DOESN’T LEAD BY EXAMPLE,” he said.
Ezekiel Okeh added: “The government sent this people to your school, a private school. Do they have same standards they are holding you to in the schools they manage?”
