Ebola: Much ado about schools’ resumption
Four days to the resumption of schools, many parents are still contemplating whether or not to allow their children to return. They fear over their safety from the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). They do not believe that the Federal Government has done enough to protect pupils. ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, MEDINAT KANABE, OLUWASEUN AKINOLA, OLUWATOSIN OLAWALE AND JAYEOBA OYEFOLU OLAYINKA sampled parents’, teachers’ and school managements’ opinions on the matter.
As far as the Federal and some state governments are concerned, schools will resume on Monday. But many parents are not ready to allow their children return to school “this early” because of the fear of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). To them, more still need to be done to assure them of their children’s safety from the disease before returning to school.
According to them, the government, which asked the schools to resume, has not done anything to guarantee pupils’ safety, despite huge resources it has allegedly deployed to fight Ebola. The sensitisation on Ebola is high nationwide, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) praising the country’s containment of the virus, despite its large population. But, as schools’ resume on Monday, there are fears among parents on the possibility of their children contracting the disease.
Those whose children attend private schools are not leaving anything to chance; they want to know what measures the schools have adopted to guard against EVD. Initially, the Federal Government shifted the beginning of the new academic session from September 13 to October 13. Last Monday, the government made a u-turn, directing students to resume on September 22. Defending the resumption date on Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan noted that keeping schools closed over EVD would send wrong signal to other countries and make them treat Nigerians travelling abroad as Ebola carriers.
Addressing reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Jonathan said government has taken adequate and globally accepted measures to check EVD epidemic in the country. Jonathan said ahead of the resumption, he had had met with and had the promises of the governors, commissioners for health and all the states set up machineries nationwide to manage Ebola if it turned up. Said Jonathan: “You see one thing people don’t know and that is why all these Labour Unions NUT are threatening strike, if you are in Nigerian today, and you travel to some countries, they don’t even want you to enter the countries. Our athletes were segregated in China they had to return to the country.
“What people don’t know is that as long as you close your institutions because of Ebola, the ambassadors that are here with us and the high commissioners send what you call dispatches to their home states about what is happening in our country every month.” “As long as we, Nigerians close all our public institutions because of Ebola, the dispatches that goes to the whole world is that Ebola is a problem in Nigeria. And as long as we declare that Ebola is a problem in Nigeria, any Nigerian who travels out will be treated as someone that has Ebola.” At a meeting in Abuja, the government and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) harmonised positions on the September 22 date, with both identifying six steps to make the country safe. The NMA said it yielded ground against its earlier position that schools should remain closed until thoseunder EVD surveillance are cleared. Shekarau, who represented government at the meeting, cleared the air on insinuations that the date was influenced by private school operators. “At no point did anyone influence this decision. There were reports that the private sector influenced the decision.
That is not true,” Shekarau said, adding: “It was a unanimous decision taken after a meeting with the education commissioners, and the health ministry. The Ministry of Education also wrote to the governors to give the directive more weight.” Lagos State is championing the case. Last week, it directed teachers and proprietors of private schools to be ready for work by Monday.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Lateef Raji, premised the state’s position on the fact that there is “currently no known carrier of EVD in our state at the moment,” adding that health professionals were in agreement with government’s position. Raji said the government is committed to deploying all resources at its disposal to take into custody any person suspected to be infected with EVD, and isolate such a person for treatment
. It warned the public to remain vigilant as the EVD still remains in other countries within the sub-region. The state recommended some measures to be taken in schools, such as training and sensitisation of pupils, vendors, teachers and non academic staff on EVD and how to avoid it; Identification of EVD focal persons in schools, who would be responsible for surveillance and health monitoring; provision of adequate environmental sanitation, including clean toilets and premises; provision of running water and soap and encouragement of frequent hand washing; sensitisation of pupils on other personal hygiene habits, like the use of handkerchiefs when sneezing or coughing; and arrangement for prompt referral of any sick person to the nearest health institution for treatment.
The Nation found that the level of communication is high, especially between private school owners and parents on EVD and resumption. Aside the use of blood pressure monitors and wash hand basins placed outside school premises, many private schools have been communicating with parents through Short Message Service (SMS) intimating them of measures being taken to guarantee their children’s safety. A source at King of Kings private School in Okokomaiko, a Lagos suburb, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said the school management made it mandatory to brief parents through SMS every Monday and Saturday on steps being taken to reinforce their confidence. “All through the long vacation, there was hardly any week we did not send SMS to parents on what we were doing on Ebola. We kept telling them (parents) that we could not go against government’s directive as far as resumption was concerned. But we can take certain steps to reassure parents not to bother. Before the week runs out, we are also planning to meet the PTA to finalise outstanding issues against Monday,” the source said. This development, notwithstanding, did not douse parents’ apprehensions. Mr Abdulmalik Itsemiye, a father of two, whose children attend Dawah Nursery and Primary School, Jakande Estate Isolo, Lagos, agreed that children should return to school.
According to him, the government should ensure that schools managements are educated on how to manage the situation while their pupils are in school. He said: “If the government says they should resume, they should because nobody has the assurance that Ebola will be eradicated even next month. We should just find ways to control it because sitting at home is not the best for the pupils, after all parents still take their children out to places and parties where they meet people and mix up with other children and adult.” Another parent, Mr Steven Chuks, said he would allow his children resume on one condition.
“That the PTA should also make sure that they go round the schools before resumption proper to check if the steps taken by the school are right,” he said. He added: “It will not be easy for the PTA for sure, but they have to take it upon themselves to make sure the school is okay for resumption.” However, another parent, Boise Rita, whose children school at Laurel Nursery and Primary School, Jakande Estate Isolo, held a contrasting view.”I won’t allow my son resume anytime soon because he is still very little and cannot protect himself from others. He cannot distinguish between the sick and the healthy yet.
Aside, I feel one should be careful with children especially, when two teachers have to watch over 15 pupils. Children tend to put their hands in their mouth every time without caution and I cannot also guarantee my child’s safety out there,” she said. She continued: “I believe many children have travelled for holidays to different parts of the country. How can one be sure that they didn’t get in contact with an Ebola patient during this time?” adding: “I don’t really know how schools can check or safeguard thousands of kids coming to school aside just washing their hands and probably talking to them. Continuous orientation about the disease and preventive measures will do.
Above all, parents should keep talking to their children that are grown up while I suggest that those still very little should stay back at home for now.” Stating her view another parent, Mrs Lylian Nathaniel, whose four children attend Missam International Schools, Meiran, Lagos, shared with Rita’s view. “God forbid! What are they are going to read that I will allow them risk their lives when it is obvious that government is still working towards curbing the EVD. There has to be a certain measure put in place by the government because it’s like many schools are not fully ready to join in the fight against Ebola,” she said. She added: “What I mean by all this is that they do not have the wherewithal to help curb the spread of the virus and if it gets to the school, then our case would be worse than Liberia and Sierra Leone.
I need to be very sure that this disease has been totally handled before I can hand my children out to any school. So for now, they are learning at home.” For another parent, Mrs Kareema Adefajo, October 13 date is it. Her mind, she said, has settled for the October 13 date. “No, I wouldn’t allow them resume. I will advise that schools resume on 13th October. Before then I am sure that with the Grace of God things would be different,” she said. A private school teacher, Mr. Babatunde Nurudeen, feels the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has not been fair to their counterparts in private schools since the latter knows that their salaries would be paid. Said Nurudeen:
“As the federal government now puts the resumption on 22nd September, teachers in public schools do not want the resumption until next year since they know that anytime school resumes the government will pay their salaries.” “In addition, our school is making some preparation for the prevention of Ebola. We have purchased the temperature scanning machine for screening visitors to the school. The school has also aquired a lot of sanitisers for washing hands as well as liquid soap. The school surroundings had been fumigated. The cleaners are also standby for frequent washing of the toilets. I personally believe that with all these in place, the school is seriously ready for resumption,” he added. Another parent, Mrs Adefolahan Oluwatoyin, is happy to see her kids return to the classroom.
“I was so happy when it was announced that schools would resume on September 22,” Afolayan said, adding: “This is because many of the pupils do not read at home at all. They spend most of their time watching films and chatting with friends. But with this resumption, they will focus more on their studies.” She, however, added her voice. “Concerning Ebola, the government should ensure that they provide every school with water and sanitiser. Government should also provide schools with the temperature scanning device in order to check teachers, parents and pupils’ temperature before entering the school premises. The government should appoint officials to go round schools and check if they all have the necessary facilities to curb Ebola’. For Mrs Akinbode Rachel, there was no point for children staying back at home as enough time had already been wasted. “The decision that schools should resume on 22 September is right. I say so because if allowed to stay longer, it will affect teaching and learning, as most children have spent the better part of their holidays playing around and watching films,” she said.
As far as the Federal and some state governments are concerned, schools will resume on Monday. But many parents are not ready to allow their children return to school “this early” because of the fear of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). To them, more still need to be done to assure them of their children’s safety from the disease before returning to school. According to them, the government, which asked the schools to resume, has not done anything to guarantee pupils’ safety, despite huge resources it has allegedly deployed to fight Ebola. The sensitisation on Ebola is high nationwide, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) praising the country’s containment of the virus, despite its large population. But, as schools’ resume on Monday, there are fears among parents on the possibility of their children contracting the disease.
Those whose children attend private schools are not leaving anything to chance; they want to know what measures the schools have adopted to guard against EVD. Initially, the Federal Government shifted the beginning of the new academic session from September 13 to October 13. Last Monday, the government made a u-turn, directing students to resume on September 22. Defending the resumption date on Tuesday, President Goodluck Jonathan noted that keeping schools closed over EVD would send wrong signal to other countries and make them treat Nigerians travelling abroad as Ebola carriers. Addressing reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Jonathan said government has taken adequate and globally accepted measures to check EVD epidemic in the country.
Jonathan said ahead of the resumption, he had had met with and had the promises of the governors, commissioners for health and all the states set up machineries nationwide to manage Ebola if it turned up. Said Jonathan: “You see one thing people don’t know and that is why all these Labour Unions NUT are threatening strike, if you are in Nigerian today, and you travel to some countries, they don’t even want you to enter the countries. Our athletes were segregated in China they had to return to the country. “What people don’t know is that as long as you close your institutions because of Ebola, the ambassadors that are here with us and the high commissioners send what you call dispatches to their home states about what is happening in our country every month.”
“As long as we, Nigerians close all our public institutions because of Ebola, the dispatches that goes to the whole world is that Ebola is a problem in Nigeria. And as long as we declare that Ebola is a problem in Nigeria, any Nigerian who travels out will be treated as someone that has Ebola.” At a meeting in Abuja, the government and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) harmonised positions on the September 22 date, with both identifying six steps to make the country safe. The NMA said it yielded ground against its earlier position that schools should remain closed until thoseunder EVD surveillance are cleared. Shekarau, who represented government at the meeting, cleared the air on insinuations that the date was influenced by private school operators. “At no point did anyone influence this decision. There were reports that the private sector influenced the decision. That is not true,” Shekarau said, adding: “It was a unanimous decision taken after a meeting with the education commissioners, and the health ministry.
The Ministry of Education also wrote to the governors to give the directive more weight.” Lagos State is championing the case. Last week, it directed teachers and proprietors of private schools to be ready for work by Monday. A statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Lateef Raji, premised the state’s position on the fact that there is “currently no known carrier of EVD in our state at the moment,” adding that health professionals were in agreement with government’s position. Raji said the government is committed to deploying all resources at its disposal to take into custody any person suspected to be infected with EVD, and isolate such a person for treatment. It warned the public to remain vigilant as the EVD still remains in other countries within the sub-region.
The state recommended some measures to be taken in schools, such as training and sensitisation of pupils, vendors, teachers and non academic staff on EVD and how to avoid it; Identification of EVD focal persons in schools, who would be responsible for surveillance and health monitoring; provision of adequate environmental sanitation, including clean toilets and premises; provision of running water and soap and encouragement of frequent hand washing; sensitisation of pupils on other personal hygiene habits, like the use of handkerchiefs when sneezing or coughing; and arrangement for prompt referral of any sick person to the nearest health institution for treatment. The Nation found that the level of communication is high, especially between private school owners and parents on EVD and resumption.
Aside the use of blood pressure monitors and wash hand basins placed outside school premises, many private schools have been communicating with parents through Short Message Service (SMS) intimating them of measures being taken to guarantee their children’s safety. A source at King of Kings private School in Okokomaiko, a Lagos suburb, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said the school management made it mandatory to brief parents through SMS every Monday and Saturday on steps being taken to reinforce their confidence. “All through the long vacation, there was hardly any week we did not send SMS to parents on what we were doing on Ebola. We kept telling them (parents) that we could not go against government’s directive as far as resumption was concerned. But we can take certain steps to reassure parents not to bother.
Before the week runs out, we are also planning to meet the PTA to finalise outstanding issues against Monday,” the source said. This development, notwithstanding, did not douse parents’ apprehensions. Mr Abdulmalik Itsemiye, a father of two, whose children attend Dawah Nursery and Primary School, Jakande Estate Isolo, Lagos, agreed that children should return to school. According to him, the government should ensure that schools managements are educated on how to manage the situation while their pupils are in school. He said: “If the government says they should resume, they should because nobody has the assurance that Ebola will be eradicated even next month.
We should just find ways to control it because sitting at home is not the best for the pupils, after all parents still take their children out to places and parties where they meet people and mix up with other children and adult.” Another parent, Mr Steven Chuks, said he would allow his children resume on one condition. “That the PTA should also make sure that they go round the schools before resumption proper to check if the steps taken by the school are right,” he said. He added: “It will not be easy for the PTA for sure, but they have to take it upon themselves to make sure the school is okay for resumption.” However, another parent, Boise Rita, whose children school at Laurel Nursery and Primary School, Jakande Estate Isolo, held a contrasting view.”I won’t allow my son resume anytime soon because he is still very little and cannot protect himself from others. He cannot distinguish between the sick and the healthy yet.
Aside, I feel one should be careful with children especially, when two teachers have to watch over 15 pupils. Children tend to put their hands in their mouth every time without caution and I cannot also guarantee my child’s safety out there,” she said. She continued: “I believe many children have travelled for holidays to different parts of the country. How can one be sure that they didn’t get in contact with an Ebola patient during this time?” adding: “I don’t really know how schools can check or safeguard thousands of kids coming to school aside just washing their hands and probably talking to them. Continuous orientation about the disease and preventive measures will do. Above all, parents should keep talking to their children that are grown up while I suggest that those still very little should stay back at home for now.”
Stating her view another parent, Mrs Lylian Nathaniel, whose four children attend Missam International Schools, Meiran, Lagos, shared with Rita’s view. “God forbid! What are they are going to read that I will allow them risk their lives when it is obvious that government is still working towards curbing the EVD. There has to be a certain measure put in place by the government because it’s like many schools are not fully ready to join in the fight against Ebola,” she said. She added: “What I mean by all this is that they do not have the wherewithal to help curb the spread of the virus and if it gets to the school, then our case would be worse than Liberia and Sierra Leone. I need to be very sure that this disease has been totally handled before I can hand my children out to any school. So for now, they are learning at home.” For another parent, Mrs Kareema Adefajo, October 13 date is it. Her mind, she said, has settled for the October 13 date. “No, I wouldn’t allow them resume. I will advise that schools resume on 13th October. Before then I am sure that with the Grace of God things would be different,” she said.
A private school teacher, Mr. Babatunde Nurudeen, feels the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has not been fair to their counterparts in private schools since the latter knows that their salaries would be paid. Said Nurudeen: “As the federal government now puts the resumption on 22nd September, teachers in public schools do not want the resumption until next year since they know that anytime school resumes the government will pay their salaries.” “In addition, our school is making some preparation for the prevention of Ebola. We have purchased the temperature scanning machine for screening visitors to the school.
The school has also aquired a lot of sanitisers for washing hands as well as liquid soap. The school surroundings had been fumigated. The cleaners are also standby for frequent washing of the toilets. I personally believe that with all these in place, the school is seriously ready for resumption,” he added. Another parent, Mrs Adefolahan Oluwatoyin, is happy to see her kids return to the classroom. “I was so happy when it was announced that schools would resume on September 22,” Afolayan said, adding: “This is because many of the pupils do not read at home at all. They spend most of their time watching films and chatting with friends. But with this resumption, they will focus more on their studies.”
She, however, added her voice. “Concerning Ebola, the government should ensure that they provide every school with water and sanitiser. Government should also provide schools with the temperature scanning device in order to check teachers, parents and pupils’ temperature before entering the school premises. The government should appoint officials to go round schools and check if they all have the necessary facilities to curb Ebola’. For Mrs Akinbode Rachel, there was no point for children staying back at home as enough time had already been wasted. “The decision that schools should resume on 22 September is right. I say so because if allowed to stay longer, it will affect teaching and learning, as most children have spent the better part of their holidays playing around and watching films,” she said.
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