Reopening of schools is the most difficult part of COVID:19 – Gov Lalong

By Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos 

We are in the last face of relaxation from the lockdown, and in this concluding stage, we are faced with the greatest challenge of reopening of schools, because we don’t want our children to die, says the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong.

READ ALSO: Kaduna government reveals secondary school resumption date

The Governor said the State has remained the epic center because two Local Government Areas, namely Jos North and South has continue to record the highest number of infected persons.

Confirming this on Monday in Jos, during the COVID-19 Stakeholders Engagement forum with Chairmen and Traditional rulers held at the government house, Lalong assured that if guidelines are strictly adhered to, schools will be reopening by end of October.

According to him: “preparatory to reopening of schools, we have set up a committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, as well as sub- committees on readiness and compliance headed by the Commissioner for Secondary Education and Chairman, SUBEB respectively.

“We have trained teachers and principals, dis-infected schools and established task teams towards ensuring that all laid down protocols are observed. Once we finish with exit classes, we shall gradually cascade to other classes within secondary and primary levels.

“The success recorded at these levels shall determine the reopening of tertiary institutions, all in a bid to guarantee the safety of our children and avoid resurgence. We hope that if all goes well, our schools should all re-open by the end of October”, Lalong said.

However the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nimkong Lar, stated that Jos North have a total number of 1,323 and Jos South 1,173, respectively.  
Lar said that the State is currently managing a total number 522 persons infected with the virus at home.