The Niger State Ministry of Education has directed all public and private schools in the state to reopen for academic work on Monday, October 5th, 2020.

The schools have been closed for over six months to avoid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The resumption of the schools will however be for the third term which will end on December 20.

The Commissioner for Education, Hajia Hannatu Salihu, said after a stakeholders meeting that boarding students in SS2 are exempted from the new policy as they will continue their classes from home using the “platooning system”.

According to Salihu, the decision to reopen the schools is a follow-up to an agreement reached by Commissioners for Education in the 19 northern states at a meeting held in Kaduna recently.

She disclosed that in order to observe the COVID-19 prevention protocol including social and physical distancing,

JSS 1 and 2 students are to attend morning classes, while SS 1 and 2 students would attend evening classes.

She added that public primary school pupils 1-3 would attend morning classes, while those in primary 3-6 would attend evening classes.

She also directed that private schools are to open and operate in line with COVID-19 protocols just as all Tsangaya, Quaranic Islamiyat and faith-based schools are to operate based on the guidelines provided.

Salihu stated that the first term for the 2020/2021 academic year will commence on Sunday, January 3, 2021 and end on March 26, 2021, while the second term will begin on April 11, 2021, to terminate on June 18, with the third term commencing on June 27 and ending on September 17.

She urged parents, teachers and students

to be up and doing because the task ahead is demanding.

Public and private schools have been partially reopened over a month ago to enable students in exit classes write the WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and other public examinations.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.