The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), has directed that all learning and teaching activities in schools in the state be suspended until October 8, 2014 for the next academic session.
Governor Fashola gave the directive on Sunday in Lagos at an interactive session with principals, vice principals, head teachers and assistant head teachers of public secondary and primary schools in the state.
He noted that the additional two weeks of holiday will allow the state government to further put in place all necessary precautionary measures against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos State schools.
Fashola, who commended the concern, commitment and dedication of Lagos State teachers to their work and concern against the spread of the EVD, explained that there are no sides to the issue of containing the spread of the virus in the state as both the government and the teachers are on the same side.
He said: “Let me assure you that there are no divisions or sides to the issue at hand.
“All of us, that is the government and you teachers, are on the same side.
“The side of safety and that is why I commend you for your concern for safety.
“The biggest fear I have everyday is that nothing must happen to anyone of you.”
Fashola however emphasized the need for everyone to rededicate themselves to good personal and environmental hygiene, particularly hand washing techniques, adding that the need to do so cannot be overemphasised now since such acts can help in the eradication the virus in the state.
He explained that all public schools in the state will be connected to the Lagos State Water Corporation in order to ensure that they have potable water in the schools and that each floor of public schools have hand washing bucket in order to ensure effective hand washing among the students and pupils of public schools.
Earlier, the state Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Adesegun Raheem, commended the state government for controlling and combating the virus, adding that if other countries have shown the same commitment and dedication shown by the state government in the fight against the EVD, the Ebola issue would have been a thing of the past now.
In the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, noted that thermoscans machine have been distributed to each public school in the state, adding that schools that have not yet collected theirs should immediately go to their education district to collect as they have been distributed to each district.
Our earlier story: The Lagos State Government has rescinded its decision that public and private primary and secondary schools should resume on September 22.
The schools are now to reopen on October 8.
The state Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), announced this on Sunday during a meeting with some stakeholders in the education sector.
Fashola met with principals, vice principals and headmasters of secondary and primary schools in the state on Sunday.
Details soon.