PTF asks States to start risk assessment for school reopening

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Thursday urged State Governments to begin elaborate process of risk assessment for safe reopening of schools.

While disclosing that daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially re-opening, it however said all daycares and in-passing classes of educational institutions are to remain closed until the risk assessment is carried out.

It also urged the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to consolidate on safety measures and begin preparing for opening of orientation camps when educational institutions reopen.

Speaking during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said: “For educational institutions which includes – daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions should we begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase.

“However, we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure that all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to access and monitor this level of compliance.

“Meanwhile all day care and educational institutions are to remain closed to in-passing classes until this level of risk is assessed and if there will be opening up schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public, and in particular developer bill groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home.

“For the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the NYSC is to consolidate on safety measures currently being put in place and start preparing for the opening of orientation camps when educational institutions open. We are in the process of developing strict guidelines to ensure that no outbreak of covid-19 when this process starts.”