The South-East Governors Forum has decided that compulsory COVID-19 tests will be conducted on teachers in all schools in the zone before reopening of schools.
The Chairman of the forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, made the disclosure in Abakaliki on Sunday, while briefing newsmen after a virtual meeting of the forum.
The meeting was also attended by some National Assembly members from the zone, Ohaneze Ndigbo leaders and other stakeholders.
According to Umahi, lots of fears were expressed, especially for the kindergarten and primary school levels, where the pupils, for instance, do not understand what is social distancing.
He said: “This is because they love themselves and must always stay together and a part of the protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is that people must wash their hands with running water.
“You will ask how many of our schools have running water and how many sanitisers have been provided for them.
“It is rainy season presently and most schools are bushy and have been abandoned since March due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Umahi said the forum decided to review school infrastructures in the zone to support NCDC protocols and subsequently wait for the Federal Government to have their final say on school re-opening.
“We will then review our position and tell our people the safest time to re-open schools with our health workers sent to enforce the NCDC protocols,” the governor said.