Okwe Obi, Abuja
Forum of Social Democratic Party Chairmen has faulted the guidelines released by the Federal Government ahead of school resumption due to Coronavirus, saying the precautionary measures would be difficult for school authorities to abide to.
Part of the 52-page document explained that, “learners may arrive and depart at different times to avoid overcrowding; schools may reopen gradually (e.g., starting with particular grade levels).”
“Schools may alternate attendance days per week, with learners at the secondary level (or equivalent) and above having fewer in-person classes.
“Learners can better manage independent learning (e.g., junior secondary school learners attend on Tuesdays and Thursdays while primary school learners attend classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). Learners may remain in one location “with teachers coming to them.”
SDP Chairman, Delta State Chapter, and Chairman of the Forum, Oke Idawene, who spoke to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, called on government to review it.
He said: “The guidelines they wrote are cumbersome. The simple thing is to get enough teachers to monitor the exercise.
“COVID-19 has come to stay. We cannot leave our children at home particularly the SS3, JSS 3 and Primary 6 students. The schools are big enough to accommodate these set of students for their exams so that the academic calendar of the Nigerian child will not be disrupted.
“If we can conduct elections in Ondo and Edo States, there is no way we cannot conduct exams. Our appeal is that government should hearken to the voice of wisdom.”
On the spate of insecurity, he said: “The security of this is in total comatose. We want to appeal also that the country needs restructuring. It is the only way we can have a better Nigeria. Government knows that security chiefs have failed the nation.
“We cannot do the same thing again and again and expect different result,” he said.
Ahead of Ondo and Edo States governorship elections, he said: “On Edo election, SDP will win. But Ondo is a walk over by the grace of God. We appeal to politicians to obey the rules and regulations so that peace will reign.”