Ebola: School holidays extended to October 13 Published on Wednesday, 27 August 2014 05:02 *************************** Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau in a group photograph with state commissioners of education, shortly after a meeting in Abuja, yesterday.The Federal Government yesterday asked all primary and secondary schools, both private and public, to remain closed until October 13, 2014 as against the initial resumption dates in September. Also, all tertiary institutions have been advised to suspend exchange of staff and students programmes, visits and major international seminars and workshops until further notice. The school holidays extension was to ensure adequate preventive measures are taken against the Ebola disease before the resumption of students, Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau said in Abuja, after a meeting with state education commissioners. Shekarau also said all summer classes currently being conducted by some private schools across the country should be suspended until October 13. “All private primary and secondary schools must comply with the directives. State government are directed to sanction and penalise defaulting schools; punitive punishment should be apply to any school that fails to comply with directives,” he said. “All state ministries of education are to immediately organise and ensure that at least two staff in each school, both private and public, are trained by appropriate health workers no later than September, 15, 2014 on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitisation of all teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools on preventive measures,” he added. The minister also told tertiary institutions to monitor the movement of foreign students in their campuses and liaise with government health institutions on effective sensitisation programme for teaching and non-teaching staff. He said all state ministries of education are to appoint a designated desk officer not later than September 1, saying “these officers should receive appropriate training and must report on daily basis to the commissioner on situation in the school.” Shekarau also urged state ministries of education to provide both public and private schools with a minimum of two blood pressure measuring equipment. He asked them to determine the number of equipment required and forward same to the Federal Ministry of Education by September 1
Posted on: Wed, 27 Aug 2014 06:06:58 +0000