TheCable

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) says schools would only resume on Sept.ember 22 as directed by the federal government if adequate safety precautions are put in place to avoid a possible spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

National president of the union, Mr Michael Olukoya, gave the directive to its members at a news conference in Abuja.

Olukoya argued that it is better to delay the resumption of schools until October 13, the initial date set by the federal government, than to reopen them on September 22 without providing the necessary protective kits and gadgets for both teachers and students.

“It is considered the opinion of the NUT and the federal government, through the federal ministry of health, in conjunction with the states and local governments, to put these gadgets in place,” he said.

“The government should use the period of the schools closure to organise intensive programmes for all teachers in Nigeria to properly prepare them to tackle the EVD situation when schools resume.

“These and other practical steps should be taken to shield the schools from any Ebola incursion in order to effectively safeguard the schools from the spread of the EVD.’’

Olukoya added that schools should be equipped with preventive and protective gadgets such as hand gloves, sanitisers, infra-red thermometers, scanners, running water and soap, as directed by the federal government.

“It is better to tread on a path of caution than to operate on shaky grounds of uncertainty and probability, as that would be a catastrophe of unimaginable dimension,” he argued.

“If by any act of omission, we rush to reopen schools and end up with even one primary or secondary school being infected with the virus, that would be disastrous.’’

He called on teachers to resume on the approved date only if their schools are provided with the necessary protective gadgets.

He insisted that the schools would remain under lock or NUT members would stay away from the schools on September 22 until government meets the conditions.

He also directed the state chapters of the union to ensure that state governments also comply with the federal government’s directives on safety in the schools against Ebola infection.